Is it possible to get good lettuce (at the grocery store) in CO? (buying, live)

[Joey2k]

Just had to toss almost an entire bag that looked perfectly fine when I bought it yesterday, not for the first time. It's like if you don't eat it the day you get it, it turns brown and/or slimy almost immediately.

I've found spinach leaves last longer, which is fine for salads, but I prefer lettuce over spinach for sandwiches.

I never had to worry about this back when I lived in Florida, a bag of salad mix would last a week or more in the fridge. Is there some trick to keeping lettuce fresh here? I have one of those special containers that is supposed to help (kind of like this) but I haven't found it effective

[otowi]

I'm a Coloradan born and raised and I've always had issues with produce not lasting as long as I need it to. Apparently high altitude does affect how long it lasts, and some produce doesn't last as long up here. Choosing and Using Produce at High Altitudes

[ABQConvict]

I am a little over a mile above sea level in New Mexico and I have noticed the same thing. It is certain fruits and vegetables and not others.

My inference is that it is partly the dry atmosphere, but also because New Mexico (and maybe Colorado?) is at the end of a distribution chain so the stuff we get may be comparatively older than produce in California and other major distribution points like in the Northeast.

My most successful strategy for lettuce has been to put it in a produce bag that has been loosely folded over on top to allow a little breathing, but not leave it completely exposed to the air, and put it in the crisper drawer. I only buy head lettuce (iceberg, romaine, green) because I can't eat the bagged stuff fast enough.

For tomatoes, which I refuse to refrigerate* I find that you need to pick the ripest ones you can find, almost soft, and eat them within 1-3 days at most. They never seem to ripen on the counter unless it is very warm. Oddly enough, I only have this problem with store bought. My own garden tomatoes can be picked a few days before peak ripeness, and then ripen on the table and last for a week or more without softening. *If I don't eat a whole tomato, I will refirgerate the remainder and use it cooked like in a stew, fried, with roasted veg, within 2 days.

I never have significant problems with apples, citrus, onions, or potatoes, but I keep them in as cool a spot as reasonably possible (but not in the fridge). I suppose they dry out a bit faster than they would at sea level.

[Colorado Rambler]

I have discovered that grocery stores always put their freshest bags of greens at the very back of the bin, so I always check the expiration dates and I have no shame when it comes to rooting out the freshest bags. I have lived in Colorado almost all my life, so I never knew that greens last longer in other states. ABQConvict's comment about being at the end of the distribution line makes sense as a possible explanation.

Here's a trick to try if your greens are just beginning to wilt and some of the leaves are beginning to turn brown. Dump the bag of greens into a colander and run cold water over them, turning the greens often and discarding any really wilted or brown leaves. Then fill the sink with cold water and put the greens in to soak for about 20 minutes to freshen them up. This has saved the dinner's salad for me more than once.

Or you could put in your very own backyard garden and pick your own greens 10 minutes before you serve them.

[kj1065]

Originally Posted by Colorado Rambler

I have discovered that grocery stores always put their freshest bags of greens at the very back of the bin, so I always check the expiration dates and I have no shame when it comes to rooting out the freshest bags. I have lived in Colorado almost all my life, so I never knew that greens last longer in other states. ABQConvict's comment about being at the end of the distribution line makes sense as a possible explanation.

Here's a trick to try if your greens are just beginning to wilt and some of the leaves are beginning to turn brown. Dump the bag of greens into a colander and run cold water over them, turning the greens often and discarding any really wilted or brown leaves. Then fill the sink with cold water and put the greens in to soak for about 20 minutes to freshen them up. This has saved the dinner's salad for me more than once.

Or you could put in your very own backyard garden and pick your own greens 10 minutes before you serve them.

Which is what I do. The arugula and mustard greens are going crazy right now.

[davebarnes]

Use bacon instead. It counts as a vegetable.
Do not use if it is green.

[Colorado Rambler]

I thought it was catsup that counts as a vegetable. Maybe the new state salad should be bacon bits soaked in catsup.

[BarryK123]

I've had no issues with the mixed salads in the plastic containers at King Soopers, Sprouts, or Target. The Trader Joes salad in the plastic bag isn't as good, in my experience. As already posted above, I rustle through the shelf to find a better date in the back of the stack.

[cowboyxjon]

I usually buy lettuce that is not bagged, and I chop it up myself. I feel like that works bit better for me than buying bagged lettuce.

I’ve also grown it in the past, but my problem is that I usually can’t eat it in a timely manner before it gets to the point where it starts to flower and gets bitter!

[StealthRabbit]

Keep moist, layer between moistened paper towels in a flat plastic container in fridge. (Size of sheet cake pan) I usually get best longevity from Romaine lettuce.