How to Store Lettuce So It Doesn’t Wilt

You want to enjoy your greens at their freshest, so it's important to know how to store lettuce properly. At its best, lettuce tastes fresh, bright, and nourishing—the perfect vehicle for punchy dressings and the ideal accompaniment for a rich meal. However, because lettuce has a high water content, it can be very delicate and deteriorate quickly once picked. Keep reading for our best advice on storing lettuce so it doesn’t wilt before you have the chance to enjoy it.

Lettuce Storage Considerations

Lettuce requires good air circulation and the right amount of moisture to stay fresh and crisp. Here are some considerations, regardless of the type of lettuce.

Allow Airflow

Store your lettuce in a plastic or glass container or perforated bag that allows airflow.Though air cannot get into a lidded container, the air inside the container should provide enough airflow for the lettuce to remain crisp. Just make sure not to tightly pack the lettuce into the container. While air will eventually cause oxidation, as long as you eat your lettuce within a few days, it should stay fresh and oxidation-free. If you need to store it in a regular plastic ziptop bag, don't seal it all the way to allow airflow, or be sure to close it with air left inside.

Add Paper Towels

Pay attention to your lettuce's moisture content. While you don't want your lettuce to be completely dry, which can cause premature wilting, too much moisture is also not ideal. That's why we don't recommend washing your lettuce before storing it.

To remove excess moisture, simply place some folded-up paper towels into the container along with the lettuce. Then, store lettuce in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator, which controls the humidity level for produce.

How to Store a Different Types of Lettuce

Iceberg Lettuce

Iceberg lettuce is pale green and cabbage-like in appearance, known for its high water content and refreshing crunch. We love it in classic wedge salads, shredded and added to tacos, and layered into BLTs. You’ll typically find heads of iceberg lettuce wrapped tightly in plastic at the grocery store. 

Unlike romaine and many other types of lettuce, we suggest keeping any iceberg lettuce in its original packaging in your fridge’s crisper drawer until the day you’re ready to use it. Don’t break up or wash iceberg lettuce until you’re ready to eat it, as the excess water will cause it to deteriorate. Stored this way, iceberg lettuce should stay fresh for up to 10 days.

Head Lettuce

Iceberg is a type of head lettuce, but there are other types, like butterhead. You can always buy boxed, pre-washed lettuce at the grocery store, but we prefer to purchase head lettuce when possible. Head lettuce lasts longer than the boxed stuff, and it tends to yield a fresher, crunchier result. Look for tight bunches of lettuce with crisp, vibrant leaves, and avoid anything that looks slimy or brown. 

Our general rule of thumb for storing heads of lettuce is to discard any damaged outer leaves, then gently wrap the heads in paper towels and store them in perforated bags or containers in the crisper drawer. Avoid washing the lettuce or removing the leaves from the head, as this can cause early decay.

This method protects the lettuce from water damage, and preserves it for a week to 10 days, depending on the variety of lettuce and its original condition. 

Loose Leaf Lettuce

While loose-leaf lettuce won't stay fresh for as long as a head of lettuce, with a little preparation, you can extend its shelf life. Start by removing any damaged or wilted parts from the lettuce; this will slow the spread of wilting. Then, transfer the lettuce from the package it came in into a perforated plastic bag or container lined with paper towels to collect excess moisture. Place into the crisper drawer.

Romaine Lettuce

Romaine is a popular lettuce variety with long, crunchy leaves and a mild, almost sweet flavor. It’s great in a Caesar salad, tucked into a sandwich, or served with creamy dips as part of a crudité spread. You’ll often find romaine hearts pre-sealed in plastic bags at the grocery store, but sometimes they’re sold in bunches, unbagged. 

When you get home from the store, remove the romaine from its packaging and discard any damaged outer leaves. Next, wrap the heads in paper towels and place them in fresh plastic bags in your refrigerator’s crisper drawer. Stored this way, romaine lettuce should stay fresh and crunchy for about one week.

Shredded Lettuce

Store shredded lettuce in a perforated bag or container with paper towels to soak up extra moisture. Keep the bag in your fridge’s crisper drawer for best results. Shredded lettuce, which is great to add to tacos or wraps for an extra crunch, should stay fresh for about five days when stored this way.

Garden Grown

Lucky enough to have your own vegetable garden and grow your own lettuce? Our advice for storing heads of freshly picked lettuce depends on the cleanliness of the greens. If you harvest a head of lettuce that’s extra gritty and might have some bugs tucked inside, go ahead and wash your veggies to avoid getting your fridge all dirty.

After washing the greens, store them in plastic bags with paper towels to absorb moisture, and tuck everything into your fridge’s crisper drawer. Just know that washing greens makes them go bad faster, so try to eat them within a couple of days.

If your lettuce is relatively clean, store it like store-bought greens; just wrap the whole head in paper towels, and keep it in a perforated bag or container in your fridge’s crisper drawer.

Can You Freeze Lettuce?

You can freeze lettuce, but it only works if you purée the leaves before freezing them. If you don’t, the frozen-then-thawed lettuce will be damp and flavorless—not fit for a fresh salad. We suggest pouring the puréed greens into ice cube trays, freezing them until the cubes are solid, and then transferring them to a plastic bag. 

Wondering how to cook with frozen lettuce? We like adding it to soups or smoothies for a nutritional boost. The frozen lettuce will only add subtle flavor, but it’s an easy way to incorporate greens into your food, and is a great way to get little ones to eat more veggies!

Easy Lettuce Recipes

From salads to wraps, we're all about getting creative with fresh lettuce. Check out these recipes for the tastiest ways to enjoy your leafy greens.

Spring Green Salad

This easy salad recipe proves that a fresh-tasting hearty plate of greens and mix-ins can be dinner. The base is romaine lettuce hearts—the crispiest of lettuces—with chopped cucumber, snap peas, and edamame mixed in.

Tofu and Mushroom Lettuce Wraps

Use your fresh lettuce to create these savory tofu and mushroom wraps. This vegetarian meal is so simple and just takes half an hour to throw together. We grated the tofu to give it that ground-up texture that's ideal for these wraps. This recipe calls for butter lettuce, but iceberg or romaine can easily take its place.

Grilled Halloumi Salad

There are a couple of reasons why we love this recipe for halloumi salad. First, it's easy to make after work and still manages to be super filling. Second, it hits all the right flavor notes, from briny olives to spicy garlic and cool, crunchy cucumbers.

Baby Wedge Salad with Crispy Spiced Chickpeas

This refreshing wedge salad is packed with a variety of flavors and textures that will keep you intrigued until the very last bite. First, chickpeas are crisped up in the oven and seasoned with shawarma spice. Then, you'll make a quick harissa ranch that gives this salad a delicious tang. Tomatoes, avocados, and onion top the salad for bursts of fresh flavors.

Better-for-You Caesar Salad With Lemon-Parmesan Croutons

A Caesar salad doesn’t have to be indulgent, it just needs that familiar zing and irresistible flavor, and it's possible that it can have healthful properties. This creamy dressing is made with good-for-your-gut yogurt. Look for yogurt that contains live and active cultures (it should say so on the label).