- Packaged shredded lettuce is convenient, but it often comes with a compromise in quality.
- Chefs highlight that packaged shredded lettuces lack freshness and flavor and are prone to contamination.
- Instead, chefs recommend using whole heads of lettuce for the best quality and freshest taste.
Salads are a simple solution for a quick lunch or a healthy side for dinner. Central to most salads are the lettuce greens, providing the crisp, tender centerpiece for an assortment of veggie or protein mix-ins.
Yet, when it comes to making salads, there is one ingredient chefs never use but many people swear by: shredded bagged lettuce. “Pre-shredded lettuce is the fast food version of freshness—convenient, sure, but the trade-offs are steep,” says Chef Joe Nierstedt, chef and co-owner of Katsubo in Charleston, SC.
Why exactly do chefs skip the packaged shredded lettuce and instead opt for packaged whole leaf or full heads of lettuce? We posed this question to a handful of chefs, asked why they steer clear of shredded lettuce, and what they recommend using instead.
Why Chefs Aren’t Fans of Shredded Bagged Lettuce
Freshness
The produce section of your local grocery store is stocked with a range of salad greens, from individual heads of lettuce to clamshells of full-leaf lettuce, and even salad kits with prewashed lettuces and dressing. Packages of shredded iceberg, green leaf, and romaine lettuce offer great convenience, but that convenience comes at a cost.
“Freshly shredded lettuce has a crisper texture and more vibrant flavor compared to pre-packaged options, which can be limp or wilted,” says Nicko Moulinos, executive chef, Eos & Nyx, San Jose, CA.
Chef Nierstedt agrees. “Once lettuce is shredded, every cut edge starts to oxidize and lose moisture,” he explains. “You can taste it. It goes from crisp and alive to tired and wet in a day. It’s like eating the memory of lettuce, not lettuce itself.”
Flavor
Shredded greens, like some other packaged produce, meat, seafood and even cheese may have gases added to the packaging to help preserve the quality and extend the shelf life. This is through a process called modified atmosphere packaging, or ‘MAP’. These gases may include carbon dioxide, nitrogen, and oxygen and while this process has allowed producers to keep their products on store shelves longer, it can produce off-flavors.
“I personally don’t like knowing that bagged lettuce is filled with gas to preserve it in the bag for freshness, to help it stay green and there’s always that funky wet, almost rotten flavor with iceberg lettuce mixes,” says Sophina Uong, chef and owner of Mister Mao, New Orleans.
“In a restaurant, we build dishes around texture and life—that pop when you bite into something crisp and cold,” Nierstedt says. “Shredded bag lettuce takes that away before you even start. Good food’s all about timing, and freshness has a clock on it.”
Food Safety
Aside from the lack of freshness and potential poor flavor, packaged shredded lettuce is also at risk of contamination. “Shredded bagged lettuce can be a convenient, healthy meal choice or ingredient but, as with any raw food, understanding the associated risks is important to keep you and your family safe,” says Dr. Vanessa Coffman, Director of the Alliance to Stop Foodborne Illness. “Cutting or shredding lettuce into smaller pieces disrupts the leafy tissue and increases the surface area, which can allow bacteria to adhere to the leaves and grow more easily. In addition, lettuce is usually eaten raw, so there is no cooking step to kill any pathogens.”
Regardless of whether you use packaged shredded lettuce, packaged leaf lettuces, or whole heads, Coffman recommends keeping all greens below 41°F to slow bacterial growth and reduce the risk of foodborne illness. Be sure to wash your hands with warm, soapy water before using greens and avoid cross-contamination by storing and working with raw meats or poultry away from ready-to-eat greens. Thoroughly wash and dry your greens before serving.
What Chefs Suggest You Use Instead
Instead of using packaged shredded lettuces, the chefs recommend reaching for whole heads when possible. “Purchasing whole heads of soft lettuce or cabbage and washing it yourself not only ensures freshness and quality control but it’s also cheaper,” says Uong.
“Chefs typically prefer supporting local farms and vendors instead of supermarkets,” says Moulinos. “It is not only for getting things cheaper and with better quality, but it also supports the local economy. So next time, go to your local farmers market—you will be surprised with the quality and integrity of the produce.”
In recent years, there’s been an influx of new lettuce options at the grocery store. Clamshell packages or bags of crisp leaf lettuces, often grown in greenhouses, offer a solid option for home cooks. “If you love the convenience, bagged whole leaves are a great middle ground,” says Nierstedt. “They’re washed but still intact, so you get freshness without the slime factor.”
The Bottom Line
Packaged shredded lettuces, like romaine, green leaf and iceberg, are incredibly convenient, but they often come with a compromise in quality. Many chefs recommend home cooks skip packaged shredded lettuces altogether because the greens lack freshness, flavor and run the potential for contamination.
Instead, chefs recommend prioritizing whole heads of lettuce—locally grown, if possible—for the best quality and freshest taste. Another great alternative is packaged whole leaf lettuces, many of which are greenhouse-grown. Since they are minimally processed, they’ll stay fresher longer and maintain a better taste and texture.
