How to prevent leafy greens from going bad
Reduce food waste at home with our tips, tricks, and techniques.
5 easy ways to reduce spoiled greens.
How to prep for storage.
Heads of lettuce, bundles of kale, chard, and other large leafy greens need a little prep before going into the fridge. When you get home with your greens, take the time to remove stems and any already browned bits, cut or tear into the pieces you want for later, and then package to store. *This is one instance where plastic is best* a sealed plastic bag will work best. You can use other food storage containers loosely packed, but they tend to take up more space, and the condensation sometimes speeds up spoilage.
When to wash?
It’s best to store greens dry, so avoid washing until you are ready to use them —especially the prewashed and packaged bags or plastic boxes of salad greens. However, if you get greens from a CSA, the farmers market, or your own garden, you might want to wash and dry them as much as possible before storing them.
The best spot in the fridge?
You likely have a vegetable drawer or crisper for vegetables and fruit. It’s important always to store greens in something like a plastic bag because they will wilt almost immediately if left loose in the drawer or fridge. Inside the drawer, avoid storing greens alongside ethylene-producing produce like apples, avocados, cantaloupe, peppers, and tomatoes. The ethylene speeds up ripening, and lettuce, cabbage, and other greens are particularly sensitive.
What about herbs?
Herbs live particularly well stored upright in water. When you get home from the store, remove any ties, discard (or compost) any mushy stems trapped in the bunch, and trim the ends. Then, place in a jar with a few inches of water, but avoid having the leaves sit in the water. You can store herb jars in your fridge covered with a plastic bag (loosely), uncovered, or, if you’re going to use them in a day or two, on the counter. This method is also helpful for thick-stemmed greens like kale, chard, collard greens, and even beet tops (and asparagus).
Need to save space? Massage that kale!
Our Individual Giving and Events Officer (and founder of The Planetarien Life), Maggy, recommends massaging kale before refrigerating so it takes up less space, plus many other benefits. She loves that it transforms kale from a big bag into a smaller package, extends its shelf-life, makes it easier to digest, and saves time for future recipes!
What if they wilt anyway?
It’s always possible to take the steps to avoid waste and still have your greens turn. The good news is that slightly wilted (not rotten) spinach, kale, and other greens still cook up great! Throw them in a soup, stir-fry, scramble, or any dish you’d normally use them in. Try one of our favorite adaptable dishes for reducing food waste and “cleaning out the fridge”.
Any Season Slaw
Anything and Everything Strata
