Lettuce is very practical, it’s light and fresh and can be on the side of so many dishes, that’s why many people love it. But, there’s one problem that we all know; in only a few days it can go from fresh and crispy to wilted and mushy. That’s how a video from @deliciousmartha went viral on TikTok; in this video she shares her kitchen hacks to make those leaves last for longer than they usually do.
The favorite trick is to wrap it in aluminum foil and store it in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator, this way the lettuce will stay fresh for up to a month. Hard to believe, I know, but it works. It’s one of the basic principles of food preservation; clear and easy ideas to understand and follow healthy eating habits, which help reduce waste and make routine in the kitchen way easier.
Whole lettuce? Wrap and cool
The first trick is as direct as it sounds, you just have to wrap the lettuce in aluminium foil and then put it on the vegetable compartment of the fridge (usually the bottom drawer). On TikTok, she explains that this hack helps conserve the lettuce fresh and crispy up to one month because the foil protects it while the stable cold on the drawer keeps a good environment for it. Ideally, this is something to do as soon as you get back from the supermarket.
This food preservation method works because it reduces two of the main factors that make it go bad: excess moisture and the exchange of air.
When we know it’s going to last for longer, we can plan better. That feeling of needing to get rid of it before it goes bad will be gone.
Cut lettuce? Glass jar and paper
If you rather have the lettuce washed and already chopped (ready to eat), then the second trick will be your choice. You only need a glass jar and paper towel: Put the chopped lettuce inside the jar and cover it completely with dry toilet paper. Close the jar and store it upside down in the fridge.
What happens here is that the towel absorbs the excess moisture and this helps the leaves stay firm for longer. The food preservation principle here is that it stops that extra moisture without drying out the leaves.
A few details are important though: squashing the leaves is not good, so make sure there’s enough space in the jar and add them gently. The paper towel has to be dry when you cover it and the lid well closed, and if it gets completely wet as soon as you turn it over, then change immediately and put a new one on.
More kitchen hacks with aluminum foil
There are more benefits you can get from aluminum foil besides lettuce. At home, there are two other useful tricks to try out:
- Silverware: grab a container, fill it with water and add a spoon of baking soda, put your silverware inside and cover the container with aluminium foil. Let it sit for about an hour and then dry them out with a dry towel. They will be as shiny as new.
- The winter hack: Cover a wooden board and place it behind the radiator, the heat will reflect to the room and will give a warmer feeling. It’s nice when it’s too cold and you want a bit more thermal comfort.
Food preservation that doesn’t disappoint
What @deliciousmartha teaches us on TikTok is that food preservation can be a really good solution for lettuce. Which is also good not only for our stomachs but for our pockets and the environment.