The Water Storage Trick For Reviving Wilted Greens

As much as we love our greens, the way they wilt quickly makes us hesitant to buy them. Sure, those wilted greens are a flavorful way to upgrade your steak, but sometimes we just want a fresh salad. Instead of opting for frozen veggies or avoiding greens altogether, a simple storage trick can help to revive your wilted greens.

When you have a head of lettuce, cabbage, bok choy, or a similar vegetable, one or two drooping leaves may overtake the whole bunch. Before the rot starts to spread, you can store it in water to perk up the leaves. Get a container and pour around ½ inch of water inside. Cut a little of the root off of the head and sit it down in the water with the leaves facing up. Gently cover the leaves with plastic and place them in the fridge. Within 24 hours, your vegetable will look revived.

If you've bought a bag of greens instead of the whole head, there are still ways to keep them fresh. When you bring them back from the grocery store, place them in a plastic bag or airtight container along with a sheet of paper towel. Since moisture and air are the biggest culprits for wilted greens, this combination will keep the leaves fresh and dry.

For leaves that are already drooping, there's an unconventional way to rescue sad, wilted greens. Rather than giving them a good rinse in cold water to perk them up, soak them in hot water instead. Place them in a large bowl with water that's about 120 degrees Fahrenheit. After 10 to 30 minutes, put them in an ice water bath and then drain.

When shopping, look for leaves that naturally last longer in the fridge. Heartier greens like cabbage, kale, and watercress can stay further compared to tender leaves like lettuce or spinach. Additionally, be wary of buying more than you can eat. It can be exhausting to constantly have to stop by the store, but watching your leaves wilt weekly makes the extra trip worth it.