According to the CDC, it is now safe to eat Romaine Lettuce again.

If you recall, there have been a string of illnesses relating to people trying to do what is right and healthy by eating more leafy green veggies, namely by eating more salads. Unfortunately, because the romaine lettuce that came out of Yuma, AZ was contaminated with e Coli, over 170 got very ill, and one person passed away. These illnesses happened all over the U.S. After some investigation, it was found that all of the contaminated lettuce came from a farm in Yuma, a tiny town in Arizona.

How do we know it’s safe?

One thing to keep in mind when considering if you want to risk eating romaine lettuce again is this: ALL fresh produce has a shelf-life. It can only be on the shelf for so long before it starts to whither and go bad. For romaine lettuce that is 21 days.  In just 3 short weeks, all the lettuce in your fridge is no good if you have not yet eaten it (so eat up!) The reason why we can start to trust this 21 day rule for this particular batch of lettuce is that the growing season in Yuma is officially over and the last batch of lettuce is well over 21 days old.

What to do if you are still worried

If you are still worried about eating romaine lettuce, here are 3 tips that can help you ease your fears and know that the fresh greens that you are eating are safe.

• Buy from local farmers: by getting your produce from a local grower, you are likely to have food that was grown with more care. This is also usually more tasty because it is picked at the peak of ripeness.
• Buy from smaller farms: by purchasing your food from smaller farms and gardeners, you are less likely to have the conditions that can lead to contamination of e Coli.
• Eat a variety: I heard someone once say that they couldn’t eat a salad because they didn’t want to eat romaine lettuce. PLEASE remember that there are more salad greens that just romaine! Broaden your salad experience by opening your eyes and your pallet to experiencing different salad greens on your next plate.  Here are just a few examples of leafy salad greens that you should try:
  • Red Leaf
  • Green Leaf
  • Butter Lettuce
  • Baby Chard
  • Baby Spinach
  • Bok choy
  • Arugula

You should also consider trying different pre-made salad mixes like Spring Mix or one of the blends with Arugula or Dandelion.

There’s no limit

There’s really no limit to how you can vary up your salad experience. You don’t have to fear eating Romaine lettuce and you don’t have to stop eating salads. Just start eating a greater variety and know that you are doing good for your body!

Want delicious and easy salad dressings?

If you’d like to make your salads even better, read  THIS and THIS about making your own salad dressings!  And if you’d like over 100 easy-to-make salad dressing recipes, get my new book Get Dressed Up!  You can purchase your copy HERE!!