When buying lettuce, choose high-quality lettuces, such as organic and locally grown ones, and avoid greens that may have been treated with pesticides. Set your sights on the lettuces with vibrant colors and fresh-looking leaves. Here are some shopping tips for finding high-quality lettuce. Lettuces that have been only recently picked will prove to be the highest quality, providing freshness, excellent nutritive value, and amazing taste.

Instead of bagged salads, choose to buy a head or whole lettuce instead. A bit of sand and soil is better than wilting and dried leaves; you can always wash those off. If you can, try smelling the lettuce stems. They should have a slightly sweet, rather than bitter, aroma. You can also opt for younger produce, which is often tastier.

Avoid overly large lettuce heads, as their leaves may have become tough and fibrous. Leaf lettuce of high quality is vibrantly colored and free of yellowing, wilting, or brown spots. Choose lettuce that is fresh and crisp, with springy, tight leaves, or head lettuces that are dense and heavy.

Leaf lettuce with yellow leaves or cracked ribs should be avoided. Choose heads of lettuce with dark green, intact outer leaves over those with dark or slimy spots.

Avoid and reject lettuce that appears wilted, spotted, slimy, moldy, has new shoots growing, or is decaying. To guarantee that your produce has been grown under the strictest standards, look for a US Department of Agriculture certification label USDA. Purchasing from your local farmer's market is the best and most sustainable option.

There's a good chance that a head of lettuce picked recently was also picked closer to you in terms of distance. The difference in taste is very noticeable. There are a handful of specialty shops online that can deliver high-quality produce to your door.

Here are some options that offer a good variety:. Lettuce is usually cooled or kept in a cool place as soon as possible after harvesting, so make sure to do the same once you get it home from the market.

The shelf life of the leaves will also be extended by thoroughly drying them before putting them in the fridge. Store lettuce in plastic bags or the crisper section of the refrigerator.

The shelf life of lettuce varies, but under ideal storage conditions of °F, it will generally keep for days. All types of lettuce should have a solid, compact head and crisp leaves.

Avoid limp or dull lettuce, as well as any discolored or yellowed areas. Due to the perishability of salad greens, they should typically be consumed within one week of purchase. Lettuce varieties may be stored differently.

Refrigerate it in its original packaging, or wrap it in paper towels and place it in a plastic bag. Iceberg lettuce is frequently sold in plastic wrap, which should be removed before storage. Crisphead and romaine lettuce can be stored for up to 1 week. Some lettuce comes in a container with detached leaves.

This method keeps it in good condition when refrigerated for about 5 days. Refrigerate them with the head still attached in the crisper drawer.

Wash lettuce only when you're ready to use it. All fresh produce, especially leafy greens and lettuce, should be properly washed and dried prior to consumption. Soil bacteria can contaminate fruits and vegetables and cause foodborne illness if you don't wash them prior to eating.

Salad dressing also adheres better to dry greens, and extra water dilutes the dressing's flavor. More delicate butterhead and loose-leaf lettuces can be stored for up to 5 days with the added step of pre-washing, cleaning, and drying them properly. Store loose salad greens in a plastic bag wrapped in a paper towel in the crisper in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Store fresh lettuce away from ethylene-emitting produce such as bananas , apples, pears, plums, and grapes. These fruits release ethylene, a natural gas that is harmless to consume but will cause lettuce to wilt faster.

Lastly, always wash your hands before handling salad greens, and ensure that you are working with clean kitchen equipment. Lettuce is often used to add a layer of flavor and crisp texture to sandwiches.

Lastly, it lends a nice aesthetic to your sandwiches, whether to add color or as a garnish. To add more texture and flavor to your sandwiches, toss together a mixture of sandwich lettuces.

Different types add various flavors i. iceberg lettuce tends to be sweet, arugula is peppery, and radicchio is more bitter than most other greens. While you can pile on a cup of lettuce in your sandwich as it will overpower the other ingredients, do serve some greens on the side to increase your lettuce intake.

In this part, we'll look at some of the best lettuce types for sandwiches, as well as why and when to use them. Iceberg lettuce is the traditional sandwich lettuce.

It is the most common lettuce variety, distinguished by its crisp and refreshing texture as well as its mild flavor.

This crunchy lettuce, developed in for its ability to travel long distances, is the original base for chopped and wedge salads. It has been a popular choice for many people, whether served as a lettuce sandwich or used in a sandwich. Because iceberg lettuce is high in water, blot it dry before adding it to your burger.

Iceberg lettuce has a sweet, subtly bitter flavor, but its crunch is superior to any other lettuce on the market. It does, however, have the lowest nutritional value , containing some vitamin C, potassium, folate, and a water content of 96 percent.

Its popularity began to dwindle for a variety of reasons, including the discovery that it is not as healthy as other, newer, and more modern lettuce varieties. Romaine or Cos is an old-fashioned winter lettuce that is available in both full and smaller 'baby' sizes.

It has coarse leaves that are tightly wrapped to form an elongated head. Crunchy and sharp in flavor, romaine is savory, yet with a neutral taste.

Because of its crisp texture and slightly bitter flavor, romaine lettuce is another excellent lettuce for sandwiches. Crisp, elongated leaves of the romaine are the main ingredient in classic Caesar salad, though it's also great for wrapping around sandwiches.

It is also low in calories, sugar, and carbohydrates. Romaine lettuce has the most health benefits of any type, so choose these salad greens for your sandwiches if you want to make better dietary choices.

Butter lettuce is a variety of green lettuce that has a delicate texture reminiscent of the creaminess of butter. It has a mild, sweet flavor and is often sold as a small head with the roots still attached to keep it from wilting, or in boxes of separate leaves. These beautiful rosette-like heads have soft leaves, making them a great choice for sandwiches that need to be eaten by hand.

Butterhead lettuce is an excellent choice for sandwiches that require more tenderness from their sandwich lettuce. It comes in two varieties: Boston and Bibb lettuce. Butter lettuce has few calories, no fat, no cholesterol, and no sodium.

It contains calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, folate, and vitamin K, as well as vitamin A, beta-carotene, lutein, and potassium. Check out our tips on picking out the best sandwich lettuce above.

Butter lettuce lasts 3 to 5 days refrigerated, but be sure to wash and dry the leaves prior to serving. As always, a salad spinner is best for quick washing and drying. Arugula is one of my absolute favorite greens!

It will keep in the fridge for more than a week, and stay nice and fresh until it starts to yellow. Baby arugula has a milder flavor, whereas mature arugula has a more intensely spicy flavor.

Its leaves are small and delicate, making it an excellent choice for sandwiches that require a little extra kick, though it will not stand up to heavier sauces. Sandwiches benefit from the bitter green with a peppery bite.

Arugula is the ideal "green" to add to an antipasto sandwich. It has a lower overall nutritional value than other leafy greens, but it contains more calcium and fiber. Arugula is rich in cancer-fighting properties. It contains chlorophyll, which can help to prevent liver cancer. It's also full of antioxidants, which can protect against or reverse damage to your cells.

Glucosinolates give arugula its bitter taste and strong scent, but are also responsible for protecting you against certain cancers, including breast, prostate, lung, and colon cancers. Green leaf lettuce has medium to large-sized leaves that stem from a narrow base.

The tender, smooth, and broad leaves fan out in all directions, with lots of curls and frills along the edges, which are dark to bright green. The leaves also have a mildly sweet or semi-bitter flavor, where bitterness is more common in mature greens than in young greens.

This mild-tasting lettuce with crisp leaves is perfect for layering in sandwiches. It will undoubtedly provide a nutritious boost with its plethora of vitamins and minerals. The greener it is, the more nutrients a leaf provides.. It's high in vitamin A, which promotes healthy eyes and skin, and contains fiber, iron, vitamins C and K, and some B vitamins.

When choosing, avoid any discolored lettuces right away. Instead opt for bright, crisp leaves. Or, you could serve them with some sweet potato fries and a side of fruit for an easy weeknight meal or weekend lunch.

Garlic-y sautéed greens plus gooey, crispy grilled cheese sandwiches? Well, trust me on this one. I invite you to try my seasonally-inspired, plant-based recipes to create your own joyful plateful!

REcipes About Contact. jump to recipe. Author: Kira Freed - The Joyful Plateful. Prep: 10 min. Print It. Brussels sprouts 1 large handful baby spinach 2 Tbsp.

extra-virgin olive oil 3 garlic cloves, minced Pinch of red pepper flakes 1 tsp. ground black pepper 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar 8 slices whole grain or sprouted grain bread 8 slices mild melting cheese, such as provolone or havarti 2 Tbsp. softened butter. Instructions Start by prepping your greens.

Set aside. Prep Brussels sprouts by trimming the bottom stem, cutting the sprout in half, then thinly slicing the Brussel sprouts into shreds. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add sliced Brussels sprouts and chard stems, if using , and saute about 4 minutes, until beginning to soften.

Add minced garlic and pinch of red pepper flakes, and saute about 30 seconds. Add kale or chard leaf ribbons, and season with the salt and pepper. Saute about 6 minutes, then add the baby spinach, and saute another minutes, until all leafy greens are wilted. Add apple cider vinegar.