6 Key Grocery Shopping Mistakes Nutritionists Want You To Stop Making

Purchasing Pre-Washed Lettuce

Buying a bag of pre-washed and cut lettuce is one of the most convenient ways to prepare a salad. However, most consumers do not think about how the lettuce is washed and packaged and who is involved in handling it. During the picking, washing, and bagging process, the lettuce passes through many hands, which creates more opportunity for contamination. Listeria, salmonella, and even E. coli could be lurking in these convenient bags of greens, particularly because the leaves are younger than those on an average head of lettuce and, therefore, more susceptible to bacterial infection. As a result, it is better to buy a loose head of lettuce and wash it at home. Doing so prevents nasty bacteria from contaminating the lettuce and gives families the peace of mind that their salad has not been handled by multiple employees first.