How to Store Leafy Greens so They Stay Fresh for Weeks
Tired of tossing out slimy spinach and wilted kale? Learn how to store leafy greens the right way so they stay fresh, vibrant, and crisp!
If you struggle to keep your leafy greens fresh long enough to actually use them, you’re not alone. Leafy greens such as spinach, kale, spring mix, and lettuces used to be the first thing to go bad in my fridge, but not anymore!
I picked up a tip in a plant-based Facebook group and it forever changed the way I store my delicate leafy greens. Now I can buy the big box of spring mix and have it last a solid two weeks without a single leaf turning slimy.
If you want to know how to store leafy greens so they stay fresh for weeks, then you’re in the right place. Keep reading to see my tried-and-true tips to make greens last longer.
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How to Keep Greens Fresh in the Refrigerator
In order to keep greens fresh in the refrigerator, you should start by purchasing the freshest greens available in your grocery store, and then choose an appropriate storage method (more on those soon) to keep them vibrant.
How to Choose the Freshest Greens
At the grocery store, start by choosing fresh greens with leaves that look firm and have a vibrant green color.
If you prefer to buy loose greens that aren’t in a package, be sure to feel the leaves. They should feel firm and not wilted. They should also be bright green, without any yellow leaves.
If you prefer to buy greens that are already packed in a bag or plastic box, be sure to check all sides of the package to make sure there aren’t any slimy leaves or leaves that look wilted or yellow. Pick the box or bag that looks driest; you want a minimum amount of condensation inside the package.
Tip: Not sure whether you should buy organic greens? This article will help you determine which produce has the highest amount of pesticide residue so you know which foods are worth buying organic: The Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen (Free Printable List!)
How to Keep Your Leafy Greens Dry
After you’ve picked out your greens, your main goal is to absorb excess moisture since moisture is what causes the leaves to turn slimy and rot.
With that in mind, don’t wash your greens until you’re ready to use them. You don’t want to introduce excess moisture to the leaves.
Your greens will probably be relatively dry when you bring them home from the grocery store. Keeping them dry is just a matter of choosing the best storage method to promote good airflow around the leaves.
Here are some of my favorite methods for storing greens so they stay dry and fresh.
3 Ways to Store Leafy Greens
Option 1: Store Leafy Greens in a Lidded Container
For this method, you’ll need a lidded container and a paper towel.
If you purchased a plastic box of spring mix, baby spinach, or other leafy greens, you can keep your greens in the package they came in or transfer them to another container with a lid.
Personally, when I purchase boxed greens, I always stick with the original container for convenience’s sake. Simply place the paper towel on top of the greens, replace the lid, and place the box in the fridge.
Tip: Sometimes boxed greens are packed pretty tightly. After you’ve used up some of the greens, you can turn the box upside down (while the lid is on, of course!) and give it a shake to loosen up any leaves that might be packed at the bottom of the container.
If you purchased loose greens or just want to transfer your boxed or bagged greens to a prettier container, here are some container options:
Once you have your container, add the greens without packing them in too tightly (remember, you want plenty of airflow!) and place a paper towel on top. Close the lid and place the container in the fridge.
Storing leafy greens in a lidded container is convenient and is the method I tend to use most often, especially since I love buying the big boxes of spring mix or baby spinach for our morning smoothie.
But if you need other options, keep reading to see two more ways to store leafy greens so they last longer.
Option 2: Store Leafy Greens in a Ziploc Bag
If you buy your greens loose (unpackaged) from the produce department, then this is a great way to store them so they stay fresh.
All you need is a gallon-size Ziploc bag and a paper towel.
Simply slip the paper towel into the bag so it’s pressed against one side and then loosely add your greens. Be sure to leave some space so the leaves don’t get crumpled. This also helps to ensure plenty of airflow around the leaves.
Once you have the bag filled, zip it up and place it in the fridge.
Option 3: Store Leafy Greens in a Rubbermaid FreshWorks Container
If you happen to have special containers for your produce, such as the Rubbermaid FreshWorks containers, then this is an excellent time to use them!
Produce containers are designed to regulate airflow to keep produce fresh, which makes them an optimal choice for storing lettuce, spinach, kale, and other leafy greens.
For this method, you don’t need a paper towel to absorb excess moisture since the containers do that for you. Just add your greens to the container (remember not to pack them in tightly!), snap on the lid, and place in the fridge.
Rubbermaid FreshWorks containers come in a variety of sizes, so if you have a large bunch of greens, you’ll want to use the large containers. Here are some of my most-used sizes:
- Medium 7.2 cups (shown in the image above)
- Large 18.1 cups (better if you have a lot of greens to store)
I personally love my FreshWorks containers, and you can read my detailed review of them here:
An Honest Rubbermaid FreshWorks Review
How to Include More Leafy Greens in Your Diet
Now that you know how to store your leafy greens so they stay fresh longer, you might be wondering how to include more of them in your diet!
Here are some of my favorite ways to eat more greens:
- Add them to a smoothie
- Make a big salad bar-style salad
- Throw them in a pot of soup
- Sauté them as a side dish
Any time you look in my fridge, you can usually find a large box of spring mix for smoothies, a bag of spinach for cooking, and a bag or two of butter lettuce for salads.
Prior to learning the proper way to store lettuce and greens, I never could have purchased this much fresh greens without them going bad.
But now that I know the secret, I can buy all the greens I want knowing they’ll last at least a week or so, which is plenty of time for me and my husband to consume them.
(Sometimes we have a little help from two of our cats, Oliver and Pebbles. They love butter lettuce and spinach!)
Final Thoughts on How to Keep Greens Fresh Longer
So those are my best tips for keeping leafy greens fresh longer. The most important things to remember are to start with the freshest greens possible and then store them in a way that minimizes moisture and maximizes airflow around the leaves.
If you do that, then your lettuce, spring mix, baby spinach, kale, and any other leafy greens will stay fresh and crisp for at least a week (maybe two!) without turning slimy.
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What about you? What’s your best produce storage tip? I’d love to know! Share it in the comment section below.
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Thank you Summer . These are very valuable tips. I am now going to store my dandelion green in a glass container which is something I haven’t tried before.
PS I am also a cat lover.