Pre-prepping salad?

[Ipsey]

Do any of y'all prepare your salad fixings early in the week and just toss salads together over the next several days?

I'd like to do this, and have begun with lettuce and spinach, but I wonder about celery and carrots etc.

Do I have to worry about them getting too soggy or too dry? How should I keep them in the fridge. I've peeled and cut the carrots into rounds and about to slice the celery.

What about bell peppers?

 

Gosh, this probably sounds goofy, but I think it's going to be really useful, and I know some of you resourceful women (and men) must do this!

 

Share?

 

Thanks!

[somo_chickenlady]

We do this for our lunches. We just prep everything as we normally would, then we keep each ingredient in its own container (ziplock or pyrex, depending on what it is). It works out really well.

[Joker]

I cut all my veggies as soon as I get home from the store. I keep the lettuces in a big salad bowl in the fridge and the rest of the veggies in tupperware containers. Everyone here likes their salads with different veggies so it's easier to keep them separate. This way there is also always cut up veggies ready to eat as a snack as well. I usually have to do it every 3-4 days depending on how fast we go through it.

[cin]

I actually have our salads all made and ready to eat. I have these bowls (MUCH cheaper at Target) and a bunch of 2 oz plastic cups with lids. The salad has greens and carrot slivers in it. Then I put several of the little cups in the salad bowl. One has dressing, the others have a variety of nuts, Asian noodles, cheese, fruit, meat, etc. It's easy to grab and there is NO thinking about what to do for lunch. I make 7-10 on Sunday.

[Spy Car]

Washing greens and lettuce in advance (and then wrapping the slighly moist greens in a slightly moist tea-towell) and refrigerating is a common practice here.

 

But cutting up other vegetables and storing them is not something I would do as standard practice as I think it would oxidize the veggies more quickly and make them less "fresh." If I knew I was going to be in a "jam-up" for time, maybe. As a routine? Nah.

 

Bill

 

[xixstar]

I have done individual salads in a mason jar, an idea I saw somewhere. I plan to make it weekly prep because it actually worked really well. You assembled them so that the wet ingredients or dressing is on the bottom and then prgressively lighter items and things like cheese next and then lettuce. Since I make dressing, I'll leave that off because my homemade stuff solidified in the fridge. I've taken them camping before to the beach and they were great.

 

link: ran out of time to find a link - lots of options out there if you google.

 

I have also just prepped veggies in advance and stored them in containers, pull many containers out, make salad, enjoy.

[6packofun]

Yep, but the only veggie I chop up fresh right before adding is tomato. They seem to get soggy within a week. Most of the stuff we pre-chop lasts the week just fine. I probably eat salad 3x per week and a few of my kids do once or twice. I finally bought the big Oxo salad spinner and I'm glad I have it! We do a combo of bagged 50 spring mix/50 baby spinach + bulk greens that I wash and chop with the plastic knife. :)

[xixstar]

Okay, found one link that has the image I saw before but can't seem to find the original source blog (frustrating! wishing I'd saved it in Evernote now) but also addresses the concept: http://heartofwisdom.com/heartathome/2012/06/01/how-to-make-salad-in-a-jar/

 

Veggies that I chop or shredded in advanced: carrots, peppers, cucumber, zucchini, celery. I also like to make simple salsa with tomatoes and cucumbers and often use that, with some seasonings, as my dressing when it's wet enough. But it can still be quick to pull out all the containers and toss together a salad - I'm just feeling really lazy lately and even doing that feeling like too much work - so I'll make up some Salads in a jar instead. I expect they'll last up to 5 days tops, but that's just a guess and I'm also fussy about flavors changing and such.

[LaxMom]

Washing greens and lettuce in advance (and then wrapping the slighly moist greens in a slightly moist tea-towell) and refrigerating is a common practice here.

 

But cutting up other vegetables and storing them is not something I would do as standard practice as I think it would oxidize the veggies more quickly and make them less "fresh." If I knew I was going to be in a "jam-up" for time, maybe. As a routine? Nah.

 

Bill

 

Welcome to lacrosse season, Bill. ;)

(I type, as I wait for our non-prepped supper to finish cooking at 8:15.)

[Julie in CA]

I do salads in wide-mouth mason jars, and then I use a FoodSaver with this attachment to seal them up:

http://www.amazon.com/FoodSaver-T03-0023-01-Wide-Mouth-Jar-Sealer/dp/B00005TN7H/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1362535510&sr=8-1&keywords=foodsaver+jar+sealer

My favorite is a mix of romaine & spinach, with cherry tomatoes, green onions, and cheddar cheese. I also add a hard-boiled egg (or just the whites if you're watching fat).

My salads easily last a week in the jars with absolutely no browning. It's a miracle, and it really works! :thumbup1:

[momto10blessings]

I tear and wash lettuce before hand and keep it in a large bowl with lid in the refrigerator. I usually put a paper towel in the bowl and under the lettuce to soak up any water. Tearing or cutting with a plastic knife is important or the lettuce will brown.

I also cut up green pepper and carrots and some times celery and keep those in with the lettuce.

Cucumber and tomato I usually cut when serving.

I don't keep it more than a week. Usually 5 days