You do not need training to judge lettuce. Look, touch and smell. It is the same at the market or when you open a cold-chain box.
Good lettuce has crisp, springy leaves with an even color, a clean cut, and only a faint leafy smell. If it comes with roots, hydroponic roots should be pale and clean. Whether a variety comes with roots is on its product page.
Watch out for these: limp, wrinkled leaves, large brown or water-soaked patches, edges gone black and slimy, a cut end or root that is black and smells bad, or lots of pooled water in the bag with a sour smell.
Which flaws are nothing to worry about?
A thin brown rim around the edge of a leaf is very common, and so are a few small brown specks on the veins. They are mostly cosmetic. Keep lettuce away from ripe fruit, because the gas fruit gives off makes brown specks more likely.
The line is slime and smell. If it is slimy, smells bad or has large rotten areas, it has spoiled, so throw it out. If you have doubts, do not force yourself to eat it.
Are the things people say about lettuce true?
Mostly you can ignore them. Water droplets do not mean fresher lettuce, deeper color comes from the variety, and a slight brown edge is common. What you should actually give up on is slime and odor. Here they are one by one.
- Droplets on the leaves mean fresh? Not necessarily. Pooled water softens the leaves, so it is better to pat them dry.
- Deeper color is better? Color comes from the variety. Red types are red.
- No flaws at all? A slight brown edge is common. Slime and odor are the signs to give up on.
What three things do I do when a box arrives?
When it arrives, do three things: check the leaves for damage, pooled water or odor, take a photo and contact us if something is wrong, and if all is well, do not wash it yet. Pat off the moisture and refrigerate. Each step is below.
- Open the box as soon as you can and check for torn leaves, pooled water or an odd smell.
- If something is wrong, take a photo and contact us through the customer service steps on the site.
- If all is well, do not wash it yet. Pat off the moisture, refrigerate it, and wash when you are ready to eat. The steps are on recipes and storage.
Frequently asked questions
Is a slightly brown leaf tip bad?
A slight brown edge is common and is usually just cosmetic. If it is also slimy or smells bad, do not eat it.
Why is my lettuce a bit soft?
Lettuce is mostly water and droops when it loses some. If it is only slightly limp, a few minutes in ice water, then draining, may help, though not every time.
Is green fresher than red?
Depth of color has no direct link to freshness. Red types are simply that variety's color.