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How to Revive Wilted Lettuce

It happens often; you buy a head or two of lettuce from the store for a salad, pop it in the refrigerator, but when it comes time to use it, it has wilted. Is it a lost cause? Not quite. Let us tell you why it may have gone bad, as well as show you a trick on how you can bring it back to life.

What causes lettuce to wilt?

Lettuce loses its lustre due to water loss. After all, lettuce is primarily water, so once harvested, there is little to no water for it to draw upon. And once it goes in the fridge, it loses moisture to the air, turning the lettuce soft and limp.

How to store it

As stated above, water is a key element! So if you have a whole head of lettuce, wrap it in a clean damp cloth to keep it from losing all its moisture, and then place it in a perforated bag to ensure air flow.

Did you know ?

It’s worth reminding that the crisper drawer is your best friend when it comes to keeping lettuce fresh. These bins tend to have a more humid environment than the rest of the refrigerator, keeping moisture in for longer, extending the life of your veggies and fruits.

Bringing lettuce back to life

If your lettuce has wilted, this tip will help to revive it: Simply soak the lettuce in ice water for 15 minutes (or up to an hour, depending on how wilted your lettuce is), and its crispness will be restored.

Other uses

If you attempted the above trick and your lettuce is beyond repair, then it’s best to use it up. While it is no longer useful for a crisp and crunchy salad, you can surely cook with it and include it in a soup or even a frittata.