How to Store Leafy Greens

It’s getting to that time of year! Spring greens are sprouting and there are actually fresh vegetables at the farmer’s market! There are tons of leafy greens around, but the problem is storing them so they don’t wilt on the second day.

There is nothing worse than bringing home a beautiful bunch of kale only to find it wilted after only a couple of days. I’ve used the following method with a fair amount of success – greens can last up to two weeks in the crisper if they are stored correctly.

HOW TO STORE LEAFY GREENS:

Wash the greens (keep the leaves as whole as possible – precut greens will not last as long)

• Pat the greens dry or dry them in a salad spinner
• Stack the greens on a towel (you can use paper towels for convenience)
• Wrap the greens in the towel
• Place the wrapped greens in a ziploc bag (or other airtight container)
• The greens should stay fresh for 1-2 weeks

Side Notes: Eating Seasonally

One of the best ways to save money on healthy foods is to eat seasonally! The problem is that eating seasonally is different in every area. It can also be different from year to year, depending on weather conditions. For example, early season crops will probably be a little late this year because it is still so cold and snowy.

Introductions

I have been following the Daniel Plan about 80% of the time for the past year. This is my third time doing the Daniel Plan detox with a group. What I have found is that following the recipe and meal plans provided in the book is extremely difficult for me (and a lot of other people I’ve talked) to for two primary reasons:

1. Eating primarily whole, real foods is expensive
2. Whole, real foods need to be cooked, which takes a lot of time

As a supporter of the Slow Food Movement I actually think that it is a really healthy thing for us to slow down a little in our lives and spend more time on basics like cooking food. However, THIS ISN’T ALWAYS REALISTIC FOR REAL PEOPLE LIVING IN THE REAL WORLD.