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How to Keep a Salad Fresh
Jul
Soggy lettuce and vegetables can ruin your salad, but keeping the greens fresh and the additions crisp is possible with proper storage. Food spoilage doesn’t just alter the flavor and texture of the salad, it can also lead to foodborne illness. Storing the salad ingredients separately helps keep them fresh longer, but you can also prolong the life of opened bagged salad or homemade salads with proper packaging and storage methods.
Mixed Salads
Source: www.leaf.tv
Step 1
Line a storage container with a double layer of paper towels, which absorbs excess moisture in the salad or salad mix. Use a container with a tight-fitting lid that is large enough to hold the salad without crushing the greens.
Step 2
Place the mixed salad in the bowl and cover it with a second double layer of paper towels. Make sure the lettuce isn’t exposed and then snap the storage container lid in place.
Step 3
Package starchy ingredients in separate, unlined containers with tight-fitting lids. Croutons, nuts and seeds become soggy when stored mixed into the salad.
Step 4
Place the salad in the refrigerator, along with the containers of fragrant and wet ingredients. Croutons, nuts and seeds do not require refrigeration. Replace the paper towels in the salad mix if they become soggy. Store the salad in the refrigerator for seven to 10 days.
Unassembled Salads
Step 5
Fill a plastic storage bag or plastic container with each salad ingredient to within 1 inch of the container’s rim. Keep the ingredients in separate containers to avoid sogginess or flavor changes. For example, wet ingredients, like tomatoes, can cause dry ingredients, like lettuce or peppers, to spoil more quickly. Mild ingredients, like grated carrots, can absorb the flavor of stronger-tasting ingredients like onions.
Step 6
Package leafy greens in a paper towel-lined container, and then cover the greens with a second layer of towels before snapping the lid closed.
Step 7
Place the lids on the containers and close them. If you use storage bags, press as much air from the bags as possible before sealing.
Step 8
Place the containers in refrigerator set at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. Dry vegetables, like peppers and carrots, can remain fresh for seven to 10 days, while wet ingredients, like tomatoes, may last four days. Assemble the salad ingredients and add dressing right before serving.
