The number-one question I get regarding vacuum-packing lettuce in Mason jars is “What Happens if I Vacuum-Seal Lettuce and Vegetables Together?” Although I have answered this question several times, in bits and pieces, I decided it was time to devote an entire post to the subject.
Let me explain the title “Salad in a Jar”…
In more recent years, most of you have seen “salad in a jar” come to mean layered salads inside of Mason jars. They usually include dressing, various types of lettuce, along with many and varied veggies.
However, when I first started this little blog in 2009, all my co-workers called my vacuum-sealed salads “Salad in a Jar.” The layered salads were not popular at the time.
Unfortunately, I chose that title for my blog and this extremely useful kitchen hack for preserving lettuce.
In a nutshell, “Salad in a Jar (My Way)” goes like this:
First, add rinsed and chopped lettuce to a Mason jar. Second, vacuum-pack it so the leaves will stay fresh and not turn brown for the next 7-10 days.
It makes sense that many people would try adding other foods to a jar holding only chopped lettuce. After all, who eats lettuce alone and calls it a salad?
Most people who do layered salads do not vacuum-pack their salads, and that’s for the best.
The answer to the question…
“What happens if you vacuum-seal lettuce with veggies?”
Additional veggies limit the amount of time you can store the lettuce.
Some veggies will last several days, like carrots. On the other hand, more delicate vegetables, like cucumbers, become rather slimy and disgusting within two or three days. This can vary, depending on their freshness going into the jar.
More delicate types of lettuce also fall into the latter category, e.g. spring mix, spinach, and Boston lettuce.
Plain cut romaine lettuce, when packed alone, will nearly always be good for a week. However, it can last up to two weeks if it was very fresh when you packed it.
Believe me, washed and cut lettuce that lasts that long can be SO VERY CONVENIENT.
What about vacuum-sealing other kinds of lettuce or spinach?
In my experience, Romaine lettuce, especially the hearts, give the best results. Radicchio also holds up well. Spinach, butter lettuce, mixed greens, and the like are too fragile to store for a week under vacuum pressure.
Why I don’t vacuum-seal vegetables, (or fruits, herbs, nuts, or dressing) with lettuce:
#1
Including cleaned and cut veggies increases preparation time.
This is the number one reason I don’t do it. I’ve been vacuum-packing my lettuce for over 7 years, so occasionally, I weary of the whole vacuum-packing process. However, I have not tired of eating it or of the waist-preserving benefits, so I continue.
When 6:15 in the morning rolls around and I’m getting ready for work, I’m mighty happy I took 20 minutes out of my weekend to prepare 6-10 jars of lettuce so I only have to grab a jar from the fridge for my lunch bag.
Addendum: I’ve now been vacuum-packing lettuce for 11 or 12 years. See this post for a discussion about maintaining this habit.
#2
Adding anything but lettuce makes the process and habit less sustainable.
When I first came up with this idea, I was looking to maintain my ideal weight in a way I could sustain for LIFE. It had to be simple and relatively easy.
Despite the pretty pictures, adding veggies, not to mention salad dressing in the bottom, makes the whole process more complex, and therefore less likely to become a part of your routine over the long haul.
One girl told me she took about 2-1/2 hours to cut up several types of lettuce and vegetables. I wasn’t surprised to hear she doesn’t do it anymore. Who wants to keep that up?
#3
Lettuce-only jars mean I can add whatever I’m in the mood for on any particular day.
Part of my eating philosophy is to consume exactly what I’m craving at the moment.
This is my thought process...
How will I know what I really want in my salad a week ahead of time? Sometimes I use warmed-up leftovers that taste good with lettuce, such as Chinese food. No dressing needed.
More often than not, I add dried fruits or vegetables and toasted nuts. Some days, I like fruit, nuts and a sweet dressing or a bit of blue cheese. Other days, I go down the savory road. More than anything, I crave variety.
Conclusion:
If you still want to add other ingredients to your jars of lettuce, go ahead and try it. Just don’t expect your lettuce to last as long as advertised in the original An Amazing Way To Make Chopped Lettuce Last Longer post. For some people, that doesn’t matter. You decide.
This post was originally published in 2010. Pictures and copy updated May 2019.
Posts Related to "What Happens If I Add Extras to My Jars of Lettuce?"
An Amazing Way To Make Chopped Lettuce Last Longer
Vacuum-packing fresh-cut or chopped romaine lettuce in Mason jars will keep it fresh up to 10 days. It's "salad in a jar" my way.
Kathy
Oops again … It stayed fresh 3 whole days for this experiment. In the future, I plan to test filling the jar, sealing it, taking out small portions, then resealing the jar. Our family eats cole slaw 2-3 times every week and, while I don’t mind the shredding, I would prefer to spend less time cleaning up.
Kathy
I recently experimented by shredding cabbage, sealing it in a half-gallon Mason jar, and storing it in the refrigerator. The cabbage retained its fresh flavor, and was quick to combine with the dressing a few minutes before serving the meal.
Kathy
Oops … forgot to mention this was for making cole slaw.
Nidhi Bhansali
Hi Paula
Loved ur idea of vaccum packing salads in advance. I luv salads but d idea of chopping n packing each time is just so upsetting that i instead chose to be without it. But the way u do it seems pretty convenient n I hope to try this soon. I would like to know how you vaccum pack d dressing. May I request u to plz make a video on d same.
Thanks for sharing.
Paula
Hi Nidhi,
I don’t vacuum pack my salad dressing. No need to. It will stay fresh without being vacuum-packed.
Wendy Hampton
At last a way to prepare salad and have it ready when i want it! I used my glass jars the lettuce, cut up celery and carrots etc. It didn’t brown, it isn’t mush, it’s crisp and fresh. Thanks so much for sharing this tip.
Heather
Hi Paula,
I found your site via Pinterest, and never thought learning how to store lettuce could be so interesting!
My main job in the kitchen when I was growing up was making the salad – and I hated it! Always have since then. I’ve often thought about preparing the lettuce ahead of time, but you know how that works out!
Now, with your help, I can do that. Prepare it once and I’m done, while knowing it will stay fresh. Thank you so much. I’m off to dig my half-gallon jars out of the attic….
Carol
Hi, Paula–Found your website on Pinterest and think your salad in a jar is truly inspired. I’m retired, so the lunch time application is limited–but I live in a family who thinks salad must be served with each supper. The quart size jars didn’t fit the bill–just not big enough–but I can. The mason quart sized jar is not the largest canning jar out there. I buy 1/2 gallon size jars at Hobby Lobby to pack my salad. I usually make enough to last 3 or 4 days but it’s still a real time saver. Two–I like to mix my greens and 3 or 4 day limit is perfect to make sure it’s pristine when opened.
Suze
Can you tell me where I can get the dohickey that goes over the jar and the hand held sealer? I’ve looked at local websites (Wal-mart, Bed/Bath) and came up empty. Much appreciated!!
Paula
You can find them on Amazon last time I looked.
gail
what other stuff can be packed like this in a jar? you stated strawberries and squash. we Rv for about a week at a time and this would take up less room than the heads of lettuce.l can you use other lettuces.
thank you
Gail miller
Paula
Hi Gail,
There are many things you can vacuum-pack but some, definitely not. The only lettuce I vacuum-pack is romaine and raddichio. Iceberg may work but I’m not a fan so I don’t buy it. Spring mix and spinach have not worked well for me. Besides googling, I can only recommend that you experiment.
Trudy
An FYI…I just purchased the Foodsaver and in the user’s manual it says the following should NEVER be vacuumed packed: fresh mushrooms, onions, garlic and soft cheeses (such as brie) due to the risk of anaerobic bacteria. I was going to put red onion in with the romaine…but think I’ll pass on that!
Stephanie
Hi! I finally got my wide-mouth sealer in and am just starting my first batch of salad-in-a-jar. I have a stupid question. We tried getting one of the lids off so my son could actually eat it, and couldn’t get it off. Finally, I just barely used an old bottle opener, but can’t do that anymore because it left a dent and is going to bend the edge all up. How do you “just pop off” the lid??? I can’t wait to make use of this wonderful idea, but we need to be able to get in the jars. 🙂
Paula
Stephanie,
The lids are most difficult to pop off right after you prepare the jars. I just use my fingernails but I use to use a bottle opener. A new bottle opener, the larger type with a rounded end, might help. You’ll get the hang of it with a little practice.
Mrs. Baum
Hi,
Just like any canning lid. Just use a bottle opener gently on the lid and pops off. I do a quite a bit of home canning. My husband even found a way to just use the band to get the lid off with no damage to the lid. I can’t quite get that one down. Just be gentle and you can reuse the lid for this kind of application. Make sure to mark your lid so you don’t try to use it in a “real” canning-preserving method.
cin
I also nicked the lid with a can opener and was worried about it then nicking the interior of the FS wide mouth jar sealer.
About a month later I stumbled upon this YouTube video using the flat end of a bamboo chopstick to break the vacuum seal. This fellow learned the tip from a Yahoo FoodSaver group. I’ve been using my “to go” chopstick successfully. No dings or nicks!
The video is here: http://youtu.be/EWvze7gIuzE
Paula
A chopstick? How cool is that!
Grace Sevilly
I agree that adding other veggies to a lettuce jar significantly reduces the storage time, especially adding tomatoes. Tomatoes really spoil quickly.
violetta
HI, MY NAME IS VIOLETTA, I AM ITALIAN AND I FOUND YOU ON PINTEREST. I APPECIATED A LOT YOUR SALAD IN A JAR, THAT I WHANT ABSOLUTELY FOLLOW YOU IN THIS ACTION. THANKS A LOT FOR SHARING IT.
Rita
I love your salad in a jar method. And I like the way a little radicchio brightens the green color of the romaine. It stores in the jars as long as the romaine does. You won’t need much radicchio. I usually just peel off and shred or chop 2 to 4 leaves from a head of radicchio for each head of romaine and wash them together in my salad spinner so they’ll mix evenly with the romaine. I do often trim out the all-white parts, but it’s not necessary. When I’m feeling lazy, I just slice off some shreds right from the head and call it a day. The leftover radicchio head keeps a long time in the refrigerator, wrapped in a damp paper towel. I’d encourage you to give radicchio a try. It gives the salad so much eye appeal and those dark red leaves add extra nutritional value as well.
Paula
Rita,
I’m so glad you wrote. I have not tried radicchio. If it keeps as long as the Romaine, I’m in! Going to try it this week.
jan
Such good advice for the newcomers, Paula. For me, adding other ingredients just cuts down on shelf life. I make 8-10 quarts of lettuce at a time, and a week later, it’s as fresh as the day I made it. In the beginning I tried adding onions, red peppers, and the results were NOT good. The shelf life was compromised and the lettuce took on the flavors of the other ingredients and did not taste fresh! Great advice for those just getting started. I’ve been doing this six months now, every single week, and I love, love LOVE it!!!
You’re the BEST!!!!
Paula
Thanks for the confirmation Jan. Glad to hear you are still enjoying it.
Paula
I haven’t done any *salad in a jar* yet but this is a great post to bookmark should I decided to one day.
The Café Sucré Farine
You’re so smart Paula, you really have this whole thing down to a science, and an easy science at that!
Paula
Chris,
You are right–very easy.
By the way, congratulations on your new grandson–in process. So exciting!!