How to prevent salads from wet all week

Here’s a reason to love salads even more: Research shows that eating a small salad before a meal can increase vegetable intake by 23% and reduce total daily calorie consumption by 11% (1).

In addition, salads are packed with fiber, antioxidants, and essential nutrients, making them an excellent way to meet your macronutrient goals.

But there’s one downside: watching your fresh, vibrant salad turn soggy before you get to enjoy it.

Sound familiar? The good news is, it doesn’t have to be this way.

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Keeping salads fresh starts with smart meal planning. Clients who successfully meet their goals often make meal prep a regular part of their routine, including preparing salads in advance.

Planning and prepping salads ahead of time makes it easier to eat more vegetables without spending hours in the kitchen every day!

Read on for dietitian-approved tips to help prevent soggy salads all week long.

About the Experts

Brookell White, MS, RD, is a Food Data Curator at MyFitnessPal. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at San Diego State University and completed her dietetic internship with Sodexo. Her expertise includes metabolism, gut health, obesity, and weight management.

Elizabeth Shaw, MS, RDN, CPT, is a nutritionist, four-time cookbook author, and pioneer in the field of prenatal nutrition. She is the president and owner of Shaw Simple Swaps, a U.S.-based nutrition communication and consulting firm.

Why Do Salads Get Soggy?

Ever opened your lunchbox to find a sad, soggy salad staring back at you? Here’s why it happens—and how to stop it:

• Too much moisture. Ingredients like lettuce, cucumbers, and tomatoes are packed with water. While great for hydration and low calories, they can lose their crispness quickly after preparation.
• Poor storage habits. Washing greens is essential, but storing them while wet accelerates spoilage. Rinse, dry thoroughly, and store ingredients correctly to maintain freshness.

9 Tips to Keep Salads Fresh

Tired of soggy salads? Try these prep tips to keep your salads fresh, flavorful, and ready to eat all week:

1. Use a salad spinner. Water is the enemy of crispness. A salad spinner keeps greens dry and fresh. Rinse, spin, and ensure no residual moisture remains.
2. Store ingredients in separate glass containers (3). Clear containers make it easy to see and remember your ingredients. Airtight lids help prevent spoilage.
3. Line containers with paper towels. This absorbs moisture and extends the life of your greens.
4. Inspect before prepping. Start with fresh, crisp produce. Discard anything that’s wilted to avoid spoiling the whole batch.
5. Layer your ingredients. Place high-moisture items like tomatoes or cucumbers at the bottom and drier ingredients like beans or lettuce on top.
6. Keep dressing on the side. Dress your salad just before eating (except for kale or grain salads, which benefit from marinating in dressing).
7. Tear delicate greens by hand. Chop hearty vegetables as desired, but tear delicate leaves like butter lettuce by hand.
8. Don’t overfill containers. Giving your ingredients some breathing room helps them stay fresh.
9. Add crunchy toppings last. Store croutons, seeds, and nuts separately to maintain their texture.