We Just Found Out We’ve Been Using the Salad Spinner the Wrong Way

Contrary to what so many of us may have thought, your salad spinner is not an ideal food storage container. But it should still be a vital part of your post-grocery store routine, if you want to extend the shelf life of your produce.

In a recent video, TikToker Emily Mariko shared how she preps a fresh haul of assorted veggies. While she didn’t add a caption or voiceover to the clip, all the information we needed was in the demonstration.

Working with broccoli, leeks, lettuce, and purple green beans for this example, Mariko offers a simple, three-step process.

1. Rinse your veggies thoroughly in your spinner’s bowl. 
2. Next, return the bowl to the salad spinner and give a few quick spins to completely remove excess moisture. 
3. Finally, place the vegetables in a sealed glass or plastic container. 

There’s a little more to her lettuce prep, however. First of all, you’ll want to use a longer, flat container, like a 2-quart glass baking dish. Place a layer of paper towels at the bottom, then place a single layer of lettuce on top. Cover that layer of lettuce with another paper towel on top. If you have enough lettuce for a second (or even third) layer, make sure to place a final row of paper towels between your lettuce and the lid.

As Senior Contributing Food Editor Sheela Prakash points out in this handy guide to prepping and storing greens, the paper towel will absorb excess moisture and prevent the dreaded lettuce slime.

Not only does this method free up space in your fridge and help keep it organized, but it also leaves your salad spinner available for more veggie prepping.