Salad turning black, soft leaves, brown juice at the bottom of the can… Sometimes it only takes a few days in the refrigerator for a salad to end up in the trash. However, a very simple gesture can help keep it fresh and crunchy for longer. The secret? An item you probably already have in your kitchen: absorbent paper.
Why paper towels can help keep your salad fresh in the fridge
According to the Marmiton website, the number one enemy of salad is not necessarily cold, but rather humidity. Once enclosed in a bag or box, the leaves continue to release water – which promotes the appearance of wilted leaves, blackened edges and a sometimes slimy texture.
The American Ministry of Agriculture website also reminds that a refrigerator must be kept at 4.4°C or less. But a suitable temperature is not always enough: you must also limit excess humidity around the leaves.
This is where the paper towel comes in. Placed in the bag or box, it absorbs some of this moisture before it accumulates on the sheets. The Marmiton website also advises adding a clean leaf with your salad and replacing it every two or three days, as soon as it becomes damp.
The culinary site Papilles & Pupilles, for its part, recommends placing at least two or three sheets of absorbent paper with the salad in a resealable bag, then storing everything in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator. A properly stored salad can last four to six days, depending on whether it is whole or already stripped of leaves.
How to use absorbent paper correctly?
Before even using absorbent paper, first remember to dry your salad well.
After washing with plenty of water, put the leaves through a salad spinner. You can leave them for a few minutes on a clean cloth to remove excess water (the drier the leaves, the less likely they are to soften quickly).
The Marmiton website also advises not to completely enclose the salad in an airtight container. Without air circulation, condensation can actually build up.
Another mistake to avoid: adding vinaigrette with your salad. Even with paper towels, the seasoning will quickly soften the leaves. It is therefore better to keep the sauce in a separate small container and add it only when ready to eat it.
What about a salad to take away?
The trick also works to prepare a salad to take away, in a meal box.
To do this, the Marmiton website recommends placing a sheet of absorbent paper at the bottom of the container, then placing the salad on top, making sure that the leaves are completely dry. The sauce must remain in a separate, closed container.
To limit humidity, also choose relatively dry foods, such as grilled chicken, roasted vegetables or chickpeas. The 750g site and the Marmiton site, however, remind us of an essential rule: if the salad gives off a bad smell, becomes viscous or has an abnormal appearance, it is better to throw it away. Fighting waste should never take precedence over your safety.