How to Pick Salad Vegetables

The freshest salad vegetables are easy to pick out if you know what to look for. Follow these steps to get the best of the main vegetables for salad.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Start in the lettuce section to make the foundation for your salad. If you prefer iceberg lettuce, look for a dark green and weighty head, with no brown spots on the stem or outer leaves. For leaf lettuce, shake the head to make sure it's firm, not floppy. With bagged leaf lettuces, avoid bags with wet-looking leaves sticking to the bag or clumping. Check the condition of red leaves in bagged lettuce because they tend to spoil first.

2. Head to the tomato section and pick up some tomatoes with no dark spots or wrinkles. A nearly ripe tomato will yield slightly to thumb pressure. Try different varieties like plum or Roma. Greenhouse and hydroponic tomatoes will have dark-green stems and leaves which should be in good condition.

3. Wheel your cart over to the onion aisle and look for smooth, evenly colored sweet yellow or red onions. Squeeze the bulbs to make sure they are firm all over and avoid any with discoloration. Vidalia onions are excellent in salads, and there are similar varieties from the western U.S., Mexico and South America available throughout the year.

4. Make a run for the cucumber area. Check for dark or brown spots, and squeeze the cukes to make sure they are firm all over. Seedless cucumbers are sold by the piece, so it pays to pick the largest specimens. Seeded cucumbers are sold by weight, and larger ones may be pithy or bitter, so pick smaller sizes.

5. Head for the pepper section, and pick some green, yellow or red peppers. The yellow peppers tend to have the mildest taste. Hold peppers in your palm and squeeze the sides; they should yield slightly, with a firm feel. Avoid peppers with dark or brown patches or wrinkled skin. Smooth-shaped peppers are easier to slice than irregular ones.

6. Stop at the broccoli aisle. Look for heads with tight, even florets. Color should be an even dark green or bluish-green. Pick up heads and shake them to make sure they aren't floppy. Squeeze stalks gently to ensure firmness and check that leaves are intact.

7. Head for the checkout. You've just filled your cart with wonderful fresh vegetables for an excellent garden salad!