Say no to limp lettuce! try these tricks to revive your soggy greens

Does your fridge often contain unappetising, limp and brown leafed greens? If so, you’re not alone as it’s a common problem for households New Zealand wide. As traditional weekly shoppers, when we purchase our fresh vegetables, they are in peak condition. But as the week progresses, their quality leaves much to be desired. But before you throw your soggy greens in the compost bin, we’ve got some great tricks for you to try first.

Why do salad greens turn soggy so quickly?

It’s all to do with water! When vegetables are harvested, they contain around 80-90% water. Once picked, they start to lose their water content and dry up. That’s why those water misters are used in the vegetable section at the supermarket. They replenish the lost moisture from the greens, keeping them crisp and looking great.

Tricks to prevent & revive your soggy greens at home

There are a few tricks you can do to not only revive those soggy greens, but to also prevent them from happening too. Here are some for you to give a try:

• Store your lettuce or leafy greens correctly. This means wrapping them inside paper towels or a dishtowel and putting it all in a plastic bag. Keep in your refrigerator.
• Individual leaves can be given a cold-water bath, helping to bring that crispness back to life.
• Chop off the ends of full heads of lettuce, silverbeet or other bunches of leafy greens. Then stand these in a container of cold water for at least 20 minutes to allow them to soak up some water.
• Cover wilted greens with cold water and then store overnight in the fridge.

Tips on storing your greens to make them last longer

Food experts say that the lifespan of greens can be increased simply by correct storage. Try these vegetable storage tips:

• Leafy greens – store in perforated plastic bags in your fridge. Don’t forget to remove the stems, as these can cause leaves to wilt quickly.
• Lettuce – store away from fruit, which can speed up the wilting process.
• Spinach – store in perforated plastic bags away from fruit.
• Fresh herbs – snip the bottom ends off and place in a small glass of water. Cover the leafy area with a plastic bag and store in the fridge.

There’s nothing quite like fresh greens and you can’t get any fresher than growing your own. We have plenty of great articles to help your new vegetable garden get up and running!