How To Store Iceberg Lettuce To Make It Last

Have you ever wondered why your lettuce always seems to wilt so quickly? The secret to keeping it fresh is surprisingly simple: moisture and air circulation. Instead of storing your lettuce dry, try using damp paper towels. It's a game-changer because the damp towels provide moisture while allowing for a small amount of air circulation that, if managed thoughtfully, prevents both wilting and browning.

To keep your lettuce crisp, simply chop it up, wash it, and spin it dry. Then, place a few damp paper towels in the bottom of a container and add the lettuce on top. Seal with its lid. If you have an entire head of lettuce but only need one half, you can cover the cut side of the remaining half with a damp paper towel, wrap it loosely in plastic, and store it in the refrigerator crisper drawer. Check if you're storing all your veggies properly in their respective drawers as you store your lettuce.

As the towels dry out, replace them with fresh, damp ones — this is also a good chance to check your lettuce and ensure that it's still good. This simple trick will help your lettuce stay fresh for up to five days. Viva towels are super thick and represent an excellent choice for this lettuce hack.

If you buy a head of iceberg lettuce and don't plan to use it immediately, it can last up to 12 days in the fridge when tightly wrapped in plastic. Indeed, you'll often find iceberg lettuce heads at the grocery store stocked this way. When choosing a head of iceberg lettuce, look for crisp, tightly packed leaves. As with so many other produce warning signs to look out for, brown tips are sure signs of spoilage, and so is wilting. While you're at it, turn the lettuce over and take a good look, as the base stem at the bottom of the head should be a fresh shade of green.

Keep in mind that lettuce is sensitive to ethylene. Ethylene is a gas that some fruits and veggies — like apples, pears, bananas, and tomatoes — routinely release as they ripen. Store ethylene-producing produce away from your iceberg lettuce to keep it from spoiling (though you can use this to your advantage and put some avocados near these fruits to ripen faster). As always, you ought to inspect your lettuce regularly and toss any brown or wilted leaves.

Consume your iceberg lettuce within a few days to ensure you don't waste food and your salads and sandwiches taste crisp and fresh. If you need inspiration for other ways to use up your iceberg before it spoils, try serving grilled veggies over a bed of iceberg with one of these delicious dips and sauces that go well with grilled produce.