Do you wash bagged lettuce?

**shoiji** · 10-28-2011, 07:57 PM

Very rarely do I purchase bagged lettuce. Lately when invited over to dinner the host will pour lettuce from a bag and serve it with salad dressing. Usually will state that I only want a small amount of salad. Personally it just makes me want to gag when I see the lettuce being poured out of the bag and on my plate.

Is it me? Or is this normal practice and I should not be concerned about the possibility of germs or worse.

**janal14** · 10-28-2011, 08:14 PM

I don't wash bagged salad mixes, though I rarely buy them and even then, only for the fiancee, as I'm allergic to lettuce.

However, this Consumer Reports article recommends washing them. Bagged salad: how clean are packaged salads?

**Birdie** · 10-28-2011, 08:43 PM

I don't buy bagged lettuce because it is more common to have it recalled than head lettuce. If I did buy it, I would absolutely wash it. I grow my vegetables organically using only composted fertilizer. I don't know what the environment is for any vegetables that I buy, so I always wash everything.

QM · 10-28-2011, 08:50 PM

I don't wash bagged salad. Most times the package says it's pre-washed, so I trust that they did a good job. Seems like a waste of time to me when the salad is already washed.

**monkeywrangler71** · 10-28-2011, 08:50 PM

No, they are already washed. I don't see it as any different than eating any other packaged food. If I buy a bag of chips or a loaf of bread, I don't wash them either.

If I buy loose produce I will wash it, but definitely not prewashed salad mixes.

**Libby** · 10-28-2011, 09:00 PM

Bagged/boxed lettuce & salads, no. They're processed in a food manufacturing plant which have very strict protocols.

Fresh lettuce/greens, I do wash then spin dry before serving.

I generally don't buy bagged lettuce/salad as its fresher, tastier and more frugal to buy the ingredients separately. I was having a lazy day last week and was going to buy a small bag of chopped romaine (which was browning in the bag) - $3.99/bag!

That made me march over to the head lettuce section where I was able to buy one fresh head of romaine for $1.25.

**Trishagirl** · 10-28-2011, 09:01 PM

I don't buy bagged lettuce I usually buy romaine lettuce and will wash it before making a salad.

**Debbie-cat** · 10-28-2011, 10:33 PM

I don't buy the bagged salads, too expensive!

**Palooka** · 10-28-2011, 10:40 PM

I buy bagged lettuce all the time and no I don't wash it. It's one of the perks of buying bagged lettuce.

**Contrary Housewife** · 10-29-2011, 12:40 AM

I buy it when it's on sale, all the time. Especially in spring, often it is 99c a bag. This week it is 77c for the store brand. Don't know what a head of lettuce costs, but I am sure it is more than that. I don't wash it because it says it's already been washed. Like Palooka says, that's one of the perks of buying bagged salad.

**sinopa27** · 10-29-2011, 12:46 AM

I used to not wash them until I saw somewhere that the "triple"
wash wasn't true. So, I just don't buy them anymore.

**bunnys** · 10-29-2011, 08:07 AM

I've never had a host prepare dinner at the dinner table. Kind of odd.

I'd heard that a water bath can't get pesticides and other unpleasant substances from the agricultural workers off the produce anyway. So triple washed or simply washed in your sink and salad spun dry, you're taking a risk eating uncooked produce.

**2ndGenGranola** · 10-29-2011, 08:32 AM

If for some reason I buy a bagged salad, I will wash it with at least vinegar and water. Bagged salads are recalled quite often. They also have a strong, off-taste to me (preservatives?) if they are not thoroughly washed. It is so strong to me I can tell if it has/has not been washed without watching.

**monkeywrangler71** · 10-29-2011, 08:52 AM

I'm not sure I understand why people are saying they wash them because they get recalled so often? The only purpose of washing salad is to get the dirt off of it so that it isn't gritty. If your salad is contaminated it doesn't matter how much you wash it, water doesn't kill bacteria. If you're worried about contamination you need to be cooking it.