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The Right Way to Store Bagged Salad Leaves

Regardless of the type of leafy green vegetable, the same general storage rules apply. The optimal approach begins before you even get home from the supermarket by storing the greens in an insulated cooler bag, says Randy W. Worobo, professor of food microbiology at Cornell University.

Place unopened bags of leafy greens straight into the refrigerator. Also, make sure your fridge is set to the correct temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below, as noted by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

After opening the bag of salad leaves, you’ll want to continue minimizing condensation in the container. To do this, place a clean paper towel inside the bag and seal it with a chip clip. The paper towel will help absorb any condensation that might develop during storage.

You Don’t Always Need to Toss Greens by the “Best By” Date

Most bags or boxes of salad leaves have a “best by” date. However, it’s important to note that this date is different from an expiration date. The “best by” date is an indicator for quality, not food safety or science. In contrast, expiration dates refer to food safety, as they tell you the last day it’s safe to eat the food. If the leaves still look firm and [there’s] no visible deterioration of the leaf tissue, you can still use them.

If you want salad leaves or leafy greens to last longer, consider choosing whole heads or bunches, rather than bagged greens. Cutting or chopping produce changes the leaf’s biochemistry, making the tissues vulnerable to bacterial contamination. Specifically, the cells in the tissues release their contents, which serve as food for spoilage microorganisms, says Worobo. And since the leaves in bags and boxes are often pre-cut, they generally have a shorter shelf life (three to five days) than whole heads (one to two weeks) after the date of purchase.

Submitted by Tara Rutkowski, Realtor and Estrella Resident