From romaine to iceberg, learn how to store lettuce properly.
Learn how to store lettuce, plus get tips on what to look for when buying lettuce.
Lettuces are categorized by growing formin heads of varying shapes and sizes.
Helen Norman
The three main types are crisphead, butterhead and loose-leaf.
Crisphead lettucesof which iceberg is the most familiargrow in very tightly clasped round heads.
Romaine lettuce grows in elongated heads, while butterhead lettuce appears in loose round rosettes.
When shopping, choose dense, heavy head lettuces with bright color and no browning on the outer leaves.
For loose-leaf lettuces, choose ones with crisp leaves with no signs of wilting.
Many lettuce heads come wrapped in plastic at the grocery store, so you could leave it as is.
Place the lettuce in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.
Crisphead and romaine lettuces can be stored for up to seven days.
However, more delicate butterhead and loose-leaf lettuces can only be stored for up to five days.
Then, store the plastic bag in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator.
These loose lettuce leaves should be consumed within three days of storing.
Lettuce has a short life, so it’s best to use it within the specified time frame.
