Washed lettuce will last up to 10 days when properly washed and prepared and dried before storing it.
It's best to use any freshly chopped or shredded lettuce as soon as possible, within 2 to 3 days.
Lettuce will last longer unwashed as the high water content in the lettuce helps preserve it's crispness.
External moisture on the lettuce can cause the leaves to wilt so it's best to wait to wash the lettuce when you're ready to use it.
Chefs wash lettuce by placing the lettuce leaves in a sink and swirling them in water and then the chef soaks the lettuce leaves for about 10 minutes and gives them a good swirl every few minutes.
The dirt and grit on the lettuce will then sink to the bottom of the basin and they typically also rinse off the lettuce afterwards.
You should wash your lettuce in water and soak them in a bowl of water and then rinse them off under cold water in the sink and pat the lettuce leaves dry before storing them.
You can fill a large bowl with water or your kitchen sink as long as it's clean and soak your lettuce in the water that way.
The best container to keep lettuce and salad fresh in is the Rubbermaid Brilliance.
The Rubbermaid Brilliance is the best lettuce and salad containers and is 100 percent leak proof clear plastic and BPA free that won't spill even when you drop it.
Rubbermaid Brilliance containers are airtight and will also keep your salad and lettuce fresh for days.
To make your salad and greens last longer.
Make sure things are dry before you assemble the salad.
For leafy greens, add paper towels.
Select and store your ingredients carefully.
Don't forget to label.
Add shelf-stable ingredients just before tossing your salad.
Keep crispy stuff and cheesy stuff off the salad.
Pick the right spot in the refrigerator for your salad.
To keep your salad fresh in a container layer the bottom of the container with paper towels.
The paper towels will absorb moisture.
Then, gently pack the leaves in the container and top with another paper towel before storing in the crisper drawer.
Don't pack the leaves too tightly, or they will not have breathing room and that can invite rapid rot.
Lettuce requires a good amount of airflow, in addition to a bit of moisture (but not too much!), in order to stay crisp.
That's why restaurants will store their lettuce in special perforated bins that allow for air circulation while it's held in the fridge.