Non packaged lettuce is better/healthier then packaged lettuce?

[larry_stewart]

I also grow lettuce in my hydroponics in the off season (along with all those herbs), though I grow leaf lettuce, which, like many of the other greens and herbs is "cut and come again". I began harvesting 5 weeks after planting seeds, and kept harvesting until just after 3 months later. Bok choy and mizuna are two other greens I grow down there in the off season.

I have never tried cooking lettuce, however. I guess I've always had some other, more flavorful greens to put in a soup, or whatever was being cooked with greens. I never understood why lettuce has become so popular in China, but then I realized that it is because it is incredibly cheap to produce, the same reason it has been so popular here! It has slowly replaced much of their more nutritious greens in the last few decades - less labor intensive, and simply cheaper. I don't think is was a flavor preference!

I hear ya.
Aint nothing like having a foot of snow outside, being in the mood for some Italian , and running downstairs in the middle of the winter and grabbing a bunch of fresh grown basil that I got growing in the winter. I also do Romaine, and leaf lettuce too. Gives me something to do when the ground is frozen solid.

I find the texture in the cooked lettuce is what I like most. In general, the4 lettuce itself is more of a textured blank canvas craving for something more flavorful to be put on it. Other greens, by far , offer much more in flavor ( any Chinese green, mustard greens, even spinach or chard, with their subtle but good flavors..

 

[evanray]

I buy the bagged lettuce often, but I do run it thru the salad spinner/washer first, just in case lol

 

[Foodiediva]

Packaged lettuce only good to use right away

Depends on type of lettuce. I discovered some packaged lettuce spoils faster than others. I think it needs to have air circulation to stay a little longer in fridge. I used the iceberg shreads for tacos a few times but spoils so fast inside bag in fridge. I went back to head of iceberg and shread it up as I go for only the amount I need at that meal then leaving wrapper partially open to go back in fridge. Shreads are put in container with top if i cut too much but have to use quickly. Romaine hearts i leave package closed up after i use a portion and it can last awhile. I hate wasting food when it spoils because i may forget its not being used.