Lettuce is a leafy vegetable that is traditionally eaten raw in salads or sandwiches but can also be cooked in soups or even grilled! It is a rich source of vitamins K and A and a moderate source of folate and iron.
Storage Tips
Storing Fresh Head Lettuce:
Store fresh head lettuce in a plastic bag that is not completely sealed in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator. Alternatively, if you prefer to wash and prepare your lettuce in advance, make sure the leaves are completely dry. Excess moisture will cause them to wilt quickly. Place them inside a container lined with a single layer of paper towels (or a tea towel), seal the container, and refrigerate.
Quick Prep Tips
To be ready to eat, lettuce simply needs to be washed with any wilted leaves removed and excess water dried or spun off before serving. It doesn’t get any easier than that!
Further Prep Tips
Head Lettuce Preparation:
Preparing head lettuce is a breeze, if you have one important tool—a salad spinner. Begin by trimming off the tough base and lower portion of the stems, so that it is easy to separate the leaves. Fill up your kitchen sink with cold water and plunge the leaves, rubbing them gently between your fingers to remove any dirt.
Once the lettuce leaves are clean, place them in your salad spinner and spin any excess water off. If you don’t have a spinner, lay the leaves out in a single layer on a tea towel and pat dry.
From here, your lettuce can be chopped or torn and used in salads, eaten whole in sandwiches, or even cooked or grilled!
