How to Store Lettuce to Last a month! This easy tip shows you how to wrap your lettuce in aluminum foil to keep it fresh in the refrigerator. The lettuce stays so crisp after a month I can even use it for salads! 
How do you keep lettuce fresh in the refrigerator?
Lettuce only lasting a few days? Never again! With this easy method using aluminum foil you can store lettuce to last for a month!
In June we pick lettuce. We pick lots of lettuce. I’m talking so much lettuce you begin to get lettuce anxiety. Have you ever had it? It’s when you dream of lettuce chasing you with baskets to capture you. It’s rough.
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And nothing makes me more angry (ok, maybe littering) than wasting our garden vegetables. If a vegetable goes bad, I fall into a puddle of tears on the kitchen floor. This method works for romaine lettuce, iceberg lettuce, bibb lettuce and more!
This trick works so well, it keeps our lettuce fresh for 1 month (!) after we pick it. You’ll be amazed by how well it works too!
Step by Step Directions on How to Store Lettuce
So how do you make your lettuce last weeks? Easy. There’s only one step and you only need one tool.
- Take a big piece of aluminum foil, preferably the extra long version, but if you can’t do that, then just use 2 pieces of aluminum foil to cover the entire head of lettuce. Wrap it tight and make sure it’s completely covered. Now put it in your fridge.
- Whenever you need some lettuce, take it out and use a piece, then wrap it up. Here’s a lettuce head that’s been wrapped in aluminum foil for a month!
That’s it! Easy, right? Even after weeks of picking our lettuce, I can still enjoy it in tacos or a salad. That makes this lettuce growing girl pretty happy!
How to Wash Lettuce
I get asked often when and how I wash lettuce so I thought I would share it here. With this method, do not wash your lettuce before wrapping it aluminum foil. Moisture is our enemy. Instead, wash the lettuce after you remove it from aluminum foil. I prefer washing ours with our salad spinner. I use a salad spinner to wash all our vegetables – from greens, beans, broccoli and more, so it was worth it!
Hope you enjoyed this quick and easy lettuce trick! Now you know how to keep lettuce fresh!
Recipes That Use Lettuce
Creamy Pasta with Cauliflower and Lettuce
Lettuce Soup
Simple Pea Pasta
Chopped Mexican Chicken Salad
Other Ways to Save Food
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Broccoli Leaves Vegetable Broth
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How to Store Lettuce
PrintIngredients
- 1 head lettuce
Instructions
- Take a big piece of aluminum foil, preferably the extra long version, but if you can't do that, then just use 2 pieces of aluminum foil to cover the entire head of lettuce. Wrap it tight and make sure it's completely covered. Now put it in your fridge.
- Whenever you need some lettuce, take it out and use a piece, then wrap it up.
Sheri says
Does this tip work with red leaf lettuce? (The lettuce in your picture looks Romaine.) Maybe a better question would be: is there any kind of lettuce that your tip does not work with? I would be so happy to be able to stop throwing away lettuce!!!
Pamela says
Hey Sheri, I’ve found that it works with all types of lettuce. Hope this helps!
Gary says
It is also great for storing bean sprouts so they don’t go brown in a day or two
jim sturtz says
hi pamela
have you some thoughts on storing cabbage bokchoi and leeks for a week or two in the fridge.
thanks
jim
Pamela says
Hey Jim, I place my cabbage whole in a sealed bag in the refrigerator, this usually keeps it good for a couple weeks. Regarding bok choy, I don’t wash it until it’s time to cook it. I store it in a plastic bag, with the top opened, in the crisper drawer. I also recommend freezing bok choy if you have too much of it: https://brooklynfarmgirl.com/how-to-freeze-bok-choy-without-it-turning-mushy/
Brittany says
I know this is an old article but it came up in my search today!” For how to store the oodles of lettuce I bought on clearance. The thing is Kroger sprays all the veggies with a rain shower so they’re very wet. You mentioned in a comment to not wash them but clearly they have been saturated with water by the store already 😭 Should I let them dry out? Just do the paper towel trick instead? Thoughts?!
Pamela says
Hey Brittany, I’d definitely try to dry it as much as possible before wrapping them up. To do this, you can take a towel and blot them, trying to get into the leaves to dry any very wet leaves. Hope this helps! Enjoy all your lettuce! 🙂
Sabina Shalom says
Will tin foil wrap be also O.K. for assorted Field Greens?
Pamela says
Yes, it will.
Juanita says
This works really well with celery also.
Paulina says
Thanks you so much for this tip! It’s only my day 15 of the trial but I’m already shocked, it really works! The letruce it’s still fresh, as green as the first day! I’m going to try with cabbage and also bananas, do you have any trick for bananas?
Jannine says
I always have done this with celery stalks. (Last about a month and still has the same crunch as when you bought/ harvest it) never thought about lettuce. Will have to try it.
Judy says
Fab idea and it works! I too am a cryer at food wastage 😫
Elaine says
This is great. Question: can you cut off the bottom portion and do the same thing with aluminum foil?
The reason I’m asking is I would like to take the bottom portion and grow it hydroponically.
Pamela says
Hey Elaine, I think cutting off the bottom wouldn’t allow the lettuce the last as long. Why not just use all the leaves and then grow the bottom afterwards?
Susanne Hayward says
Brilliant, will be using this as I am moving to Spain at the end of November and taking LOTS of plants for my new garden, so any tips on growing and keeping veg is so useful. Thank you so much from a grateful UK gardener.
Pamela says
Hey Susanne, good luck with your move and your new garden!
Jennifer says
Also try wrapping your block cheese in aluminum foil to keep it from getting moldy. This works for me since I buy 1lb blocks and it’s just me.
Dee says
Works for celery also