Easily Sneak Those Bagged Salad Leftovers Into Your Baked Goods

More and more foods are becoming pre-made, yielding the utmost convenience to getting dinner on the table quicker and easier, and salad kits are definitely a part of that equation. Being a real suppertime savior, they not only help you get your greens in by simply dumping everything into a bowl and tossing it together, available in so many different flavors that it's hard to grow tired of 'em, but it's also much more budget-friendly compared to purchasing salad ingredients separately.

However, if you're one that shoves it in your refrigerator drawer, only to find it a week later on its last leg, you're not alone. While it's packaged in a sealed bag, the lifeline of the greens are unpredictable, going bad sooner than expected at times. Instead of trying to make do with it, noticing half the batch is somewhat wilted, or worse — throwing it away, there's actually a few ways you can use it up to prevent food waste and still get your greens in.

Because most greens in salad kits consist of romaine, spinach, arugula, or mixed greens, they don't typically yield much flavor, meaning they can really be sneaked into just about anything. However, lettuces have a high water content, so it's best to avoid hot dishes like sauces, soups, or pastas, as this will cause the water in the lettuce to release and risk diluting the flavor in those types of dishes.

Instead, try blitzing your greens with a few splashes of milk, and folding it into the batter of your next batch of pancakes, muffins, or even cake! You'd be surprised how a huge batch of lettuce can dwindle down into such a minimal liquid, making very little difference to the consistency of your baked good's batter. Furthermore, while you still have the blender out, you can also try adding it into your morning smoothies. The other ingredients such as fruit and sweeteners are so flavorful, you'd never notice the greens being disguised in there.