how to keep baby greens fresh

[lisaviviani]

Does anyone have good luck keeping baby greens that come in plastic clamshell boxes fresh? Certain lettuce varieties (seems the red ones are most susceptible) in the mix get brown and slimy really fast and it ruins the whole box. Include a dry paper towel? A wet one? Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

[lisaviviani]

Thanks everyone - great solutions!

[Midlife]

I just heard a local SoCal radio chef answer this question last week. Her advice was to immediately submerge them in icy cold water, spin them completely dry in a salad spinner, and wrap them in slightly damp paper towels inside a partially opened zip-lock bag.

We tossed our spinner years ago but have been getting so much soggy boxed greens at Costco lately that we sent and bought a new one just the other day. Haven't needed to try her method yet, but we like their greens so much we wanted to be ready for the next soggy box.

[westsidegal]

my system is extremely similar to that:
i rinse the greens in very cold water.
put the rinsed greens out on a terry towel to drip dry.
wrap the greens in a dry tea towel (i.e. not terry) and put the whole wrapped package into a plastic bag in the fridge.
the tea towel absorbs just the right amount of moisture. so that the greens don't get slimey nor do they get too limp.

[Midlife]

The chef's explanation was that the very cold water "refreshes" the cellular structure of the greens. How you get them dry is optional. In our case the problem was that the greens were either wet when we bought them or moisture somehow developed in the container after that. I tried cold water and towel drying but they didn't seem to want to get dry enough.

[sueatmo]

I have good luck using a recycled clear plastic box that baby spinach came in. It is long, with a lid. I put 1 paper towel in the bottom, greens, another layer of towels, celery, and parsely. Or sometimes it is celery on the bottom. The towels absorb moisture. The stuff doesn't keep forever, but it keeps better than in the grocer's plastic bag.

[erica]

This works very well for me:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000...

[centralpadiner]

I have had great success storing greens right in my Oxo salad spinner. I try to use them immediately, but if they aren't the pre-washed ones, then I remove any that are bruised or starting to degrade, wash thoroughly then spin dry in the spinner. Dump out the collected water, but I don't dry the plastic bowl. I keep the greens in the plastic basket put the lid on, and they are still nice and crisp for at least a week.

[cdesoto]

I have great success storing greens in the Debbie Meyers "green" bags. Usually can find them in your produce section. I have reused each bag numerous times. After bag empty just rinse out and dry to use again. I have had other vegetables keep for weeks in these bags I wouldn't be without them.

[EWSflash]

These do work- more for some things than others.

[michelley]

Put paper towels into the clamshell among the lettuce. Wipe off the top of all moisture. Every time you open it repeat. They will stay fresh much longer.

[cookie monster]

This is what the guy who sells greens at our local farmers market recommends - plastic bag in this case, with lots of air left in it, and layers of paper towels.

[rworange]

Remove from clamshell and put it a glass jar. Pick out any questionable greens before adding to the jar. Keep a daily eye on them. ANything starting to look iffy, remove immediately.

[ttoommyy]

Use them the day you buy them. Anything else just prolongs the degenerative process.