Lettuce

Leaves of Love

Getting your kids excited about salads is easy, especially since there are so many kinds to choose from. Four main varieties — iceberg, romaine, loose leaf and butter head — are widely available all year round, but there are also more exotic kinds to choose from, like spring mixes, radicchio and arugula.

Americans love our lettuce — we eat about 30 pounds a year per capita — and we grow almost a quarter of the entire globe's crops.

Iceberg is the most popular, but there are over 80 varieties grown in the states alone, perfect for creating delicious salads and other lettuce recipes.

Experiment with several and let your kids do the picking — either in the store or let them grow lettuce in the garden. (Getting them to interact with their veggies is half the battle.)

The Nutritional Skinny

All lettuce is low in calories and fat, but it also has much more to offer. Romaine is the highest in nutritional value, giving you healthy amounts of vitamins A and K and moderate amounts of vitamins C and B9. Remember: the greener the lettuce, the more nutritious! Even better, loose leaf is also ideal if you want to grow lettuce at home.

Growing Lettuce: Sprout a new interest for your kids

Loose leaf lettuce is an ideal crop for home gardeners, kids included. It’s easy to grow and far more nutritious than iceberg. In fact, because it’s so perishable, you can grow better, fresher loose leaf lettuce than you can buy at the supermarket.

• Lettuce can be grown indoors, making it a great project for kids and a crop that can be harvested all year long. New plantings can be done every 3-4 weeks.
• To grow indoors, try a window box to give it direct sunlight. Outdoors, it’ll need lots of light as well, but don’t give it too much heat; if it’s very hot, move the lettuce to a shadier area.
• Choose a rich, organic soil. Wet it, sprinkle the seed on the surface, and lightly cover with more dirt.
• Water in the morning. Wet lettuce at night is more susceptible to disease.
• The seeds should sprout in 3 to 7 days and, depending on the variety, mature in 40 to 90 days.
• It’s so easy to grow, you can harvest only what you need. Just tear off the outer leaves or cut the whole plant an inch above the soil and they’ll actually grow back.

One last thing: Be sure to pick it while it’s still fairly young and eat it right away. Here's to fresh, no-hassle salads every day!

Pick, Store and Prep Lettuce

There’s nothing worse than reaching into the crisper to find a bag of brown lettuce. To get the most out of your salad greens, follow our simple tips below.

Pick

• Look for lettuce with crisp, unwilted leaves and no dark spots. Iceberg heads should be compact and tight.

Store

• Once you get it home, romaine lettuce should be washed and dried immediately before storing in a plastic bag in the refrigerator.
• Storing lettuce with apples, bananas or pears will turn it brown.
• Loose leaf lettuce lasts about 5-7 days in the refrigerator. Iceberg can last several days longer.
• Lettuce can retain pesticide residue, so if you’re not buying organic, be sure to wash it well.

Prep

• It’s best to prepare lettuce just before serving. Some say tearing and chopping lettuce releases enzymes that sap the nutrient. This can strip away some of their cancer-fighting flavonoids.
• Try using romaine leaves as a wrap in all types of dishes — tacos, sandwiches, even mu shu pork.

Lettuce Recipes

Just like Ranch, salads are a great way to get your kids to eat nutrient-rich raw veggies. And the combinations are endless! Here a few more ideas to keep your table green.

• 

  Kid’s Salad Art

  Unleash your pint-sized Picasso with this edible work of art.

  View the recipe

• 

  Garden Patch Salad with Chicken

  With a boost of protein, this veggie-packed salad becomes a meal.

  View the recipe

• 

  Leafy Greens with Italian-Style Caramelized Vegetables

  A delicious salad to delight the entire family.

  View the recipe

Think you know everything about lettuce?