Packed lunch salad goes soggy...

daydreambeliever123

Ok...this might sound like a really daft question but how do I stop my packed lunch salads going soggy?

The past few times I've made a salad for work they have been soggy and wilted and completely unedible by the time my lunch comes around.

I generally make the salad the night before. I have tried keeping the salad dressing in a seperate container. I leave my tomatoes whole. I even keep my cucumber seperate!!!

I just want a nce, crisp salad for my lunch at work!!!! :rotfl:

Sharon87

Is it kept in a fridge at work? If not can you put it in a fridge? Or a cool box or something? Key thing is to keep it cool in an air tight container, do you have those clip lock boxes? I find they're perfect.

notanewuser

Sounds like the leaves are too wet. Have you a spinner?

daydreambeliever123

Yep it's kept in a fridge at work in a container - the clip box one.

And at the risk of sounding stupid...what's a spinner?

I use iceberg lettuce...does this matter? Should I be using a different type of lettuce?

naki

iceburg is very wet, could you some some spinach or rocket instead?

Dollardog

naki wrote: »

iceburg is very wet, could you some some spinach or rocket instead?

Why is Iceberg lettuce wetter than spinach or rocket?
Don't follow the logic there, if its not been washed. it won't be wet, if it has, it won't be any wetter than the other two surely?

santer_2

daydreambeliever123 wrote: »

what's a spinner?

http://www.mobilitysmart.cc/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/s/a/salad_spinner_1.jpg

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100407194242AASiwFJ

http://bestsaladspinnerreview.blogspot.co.uk/

" The purpose of a good salad spinner is to dry the lettuce and retain a crisp texture while aiding the removal of dirt particles. This apparatus can help to reduce the time you might spend washing the lettuce by hand and then laying out paper towels to dry the leaves. Plus using a salad spinner will also help keep lettuce crisp in the refrigerator, longer, too. The set-up of a salad spinner is simple - colander or basket is spun inside a bowl, while the user manually turns the top cover of the mechanism. The spike at the bottom allows the bowl to spin freely. For year-round salad lovers, having a good salad spinner is a must. Here are some of the best. "

http://www.bestcovery.com/best-salad-spinner

redfox

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System

Soggy salad sandwiches..... I ate 3 years worth when i was at high school. I think the juice out of the tomatoes had something to do with it.

cutestkids

Dollardog wrote: »

Why is Iceberg lettuce wetter than spinach or rocket?
Don't follow the logic there, if its not been washed. it won't be wet, if it has, it won't be any wetter than the other two surely?

Iceberg lettuce has a higher water content than other types of lettuce and when the leaves are torn or chopped up some of the water content will leach out.

Lettuce leaves like little gem or cos have a lower water content and are less likely to go soggy.

Also keeping the tomatoes whole or use little cherry ones and keep the cucumber seperate and chop just before adding to the salad.

Also line the bottom of the container with a folded bit of kitchen towel to absorb any liquid.

Fruball

Pop a sheet of kitchen paper in the box and it will absorb excess moisture

This also works with pre-packaged salad bags - if you buy them, pop a sheet of kitchen paper in as soon as you get home and put it in the fridge. The salad will last much longer