How to Keep Your Greens Fresh All Week

Most greens don't go bad because they're old. They go bad because they're wet, squashed or sitting next to the wrong thing in the fridge. At Herb Haven we cut our herbs and microgreens the day before they're packed, so they still have plenty of life in them when they reach you. A few small habits will make your spinach, lettuce and herbs last the whole week.

Don't wash anything until you're about to eat it. Water left on the leaves is what turns spinach slimy. If a bag arrives a little damp, tip it onto a clean tea towel, pat it dry and move it to a container lined with a dry paper towel. Swap the towel for a fresh one every couple of days.

Give the leaves some room and keep them cold. A loosely packed box in the crisper drawer works better than a bag squeezed shut, because the leaves aren't crushing each other. Keep apples, pears and tomatoes somewhere else. They give off ethylene, a gas that makes leafy greens yellow and wilt much faster.

Treat soft herbs like cut flowers. Trim the stems of parsley, cilantro and mint, stand them in a jar with an inch of water and loosely cover the tops with a bag. Basil hates the cold, so keep it on the counter out of direct sun. Rosemary and thyme are happiest wrapped in a barely damp paper towel in the fridge, and microgreens should stay in their box, unwashed, in the coldest part of it.

If a head of lettuce starts to droop, it isn't finished. Slice a little off the base and soak the leaves in ice water for fifteen minutes, and they'll crisp right back up. Spinach that's past its best for a salad is still perfect wilted into eggs, soup or pasta, and a handful of tired herbs blended with olive oil, garlic and salt makes a quick sauce that keeps for days.