4 Ways To Keep Bagged Salad Fresh

While some of the best things in life—like PB&J, ice cream and sprinkles, and salt and pepper—are better together, that can’t be said about everything. For instance, when it comes to storing bagged salad, moisture and lettuce are definitely *not* a pairing you’ll ever want to encourage.

Despite our best intentions, every now and then, we’re faced with the need to throw away yet another bag of wilted, soggy, and (ahem) expensive bagged salad greens. Is it just me, or do bagged baby greens, bibb lettuce, and spinach seem to turn into a sad pile of mush in the blink of an eye? Since food waste really isn’t our jam, we tested out the best ways to keep bagged salad fresh and determined which was the most effective method. Spoiler: There’s definitely one clear winner, and it’s so worth the extra step.

How to keep bagged salad fresh for as long as possible

As tempted as you may be to toss that new bag of lettuce into your crisper drawer as soon as you’re home from the grocery store and call it a day, we’re here to say: please don’t! Unless you intend to eat the entire bag of salad the same day, storing greens just the way you bought them can lead to their demise sooner than you’d like. To keep them fresh for at least a week, start by grabbing a few clean sheets of paper (or thin, reusable cloth) towels.

Test 1: Adding a piece of paper towel to the bagged salad

One of the easiest ways to extend the…