Discovering How to Wash and Store Kale is a great way to have this super healthy leafy green on hand for smoothies or to toss into salads or soups. Having healthy options like kale, prepped, and at your fingertips have you easily maintaining those clean eating goals.
During the summer months, you may notice an abundance of kale lining the shelves of your grocery store. Local farms are bursting at the seams with this healthy leafy green and dropping crates of en masse to markets all over.
I’ve been enjoying the best prices of the year at my local Whole Foods and it has been green smoothie city. I feel so much better when I have that daily boost of green power.
Kale is curly, giving the dirt and grit lots of places to hide. This method will ensure your kale is clean and no little pebbles will make their way into your smoothie or pot of soup.
HOW TO WASH AND STORE KALE
The first step is how to clean and prepare the kale. The method is fairly simple. All you need is your kale (obviously), a good salad spinner, and fresh water.
SHOULD YOU SOAK KALE IN VINEGAR?
Vinegar as an ingredient in many homemade, natural cleaners, and there is a reason for it. It is a natural disinfectant. However, for washing greens, it isn’t necessary.
Good old H2O and some handwashing action will do the trick.
WHAT YOU NEED TO PREPARE KALE:
Let’s get started! This is what you need to properly wash your kale.
- kale
- fresh water
- salad spinner
- clean dishcloths
- large Ziploc bags
Start to prepare the kale by tearing it from the stem, then tearing into bite-sized pieces. You could use a knife and cutting board to chop it all precise like, but who needs more dirty dishes? My hands work fine. 🙂
Add your prepared kale to the colander and top it up with fresh water.
Give it a good massage with your fingers and really shake through the leaves.
This helps to loosen any grit or dirt that is hiding in those curls.
Drain the water and refill it again with just fresh water.
Repeat the massaging process and drain it again. Refill the colander for a third time with fresh water. This process should eliminate any residual grit.
Keep repeating the process with water until the water is clear.
Pop the lid on your salad spinner and start spinning the kale dry.
Empty the bowl a couple of times to see how much water remains. You want it as dry as possible.
Why do we go through all of this for kale?
We all know kale is healthy but have you wondered how is kale good for you?
Besides adding vibrant colour to your food, kale is a nutritional powerhouse. Fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, vitamin K, calcium, and the list goes on.
I consume most of my kale raw in a smoothie, which is said to be more beneficial than when it is cooked. This brings us to our last step.
HOW TO KEEP KALE CRISP
Those curly edges aren’t so cute when they turn into wilty waves.
I line a large Ziploc bag with a clean dishcloth, stuff the freshly spun dry kale inside then top it with another clean dishcloth. This helps to draw out any moisture and keeps the greens crisp for a good 3-5 days. The key is to get as most of the air out as possible, seal the bag and store it in your crisper.
Using the cloths is a more environmentally friendly alternative to paper towels as you can wash and reuse them. Wash out the Ziploc bag too!
I’m looking into getting some reusable produce bags to be even more waste conscious. Any recommendations out there how to store kale without plastic?
So there you have it!
How to wash and store kale in a nutshell from a certified kale-o-holic. Good health to you, folks!
HEALTHY KALE RECIPES:
Instant Pot Turkey Sausage Soup
*Originally posted August 26, 2018. Updated August 10, 2020*
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Learning How to Wash and Store Kale is a great way to have this super healthy leafy green on hand for smoothies or to toss into salads or soups. Having healthy options like kale, prepped and at your fingertips have you easily maintaining those clean eating goals.
- 2 bunches kale
-
Tear the kale leaves off the stem and then tear them into smaller pieces
-
Add your prepared kale to a colander and top it up with fresh water
-
Give the leaves a good massage with your fingers and really shake through the leaves.
-
Drain the water and re fill it again with just fresh water
-
Repeat the massaging process and drain again. Refill the colander for a third time with fresh water. This process should eliminate any residual grit. Keep repeating the process with water until the water is clear.
-
Pop the lid on your salad spinner and start spinning the kale dry. I empty the bowl a couple of times to see how much water remains. You want it dry as possible. I usually spin and empty a couple of times.
-
Line a large ziploc bag with a clean dish cloth, stuff the freshly spun dry kale inside then top it with another clean dish cloth. This helps to draw out any moisture and keeps the greens crisp for a good 3-5 days. The key is to get as most of the air out as possible, seal the bag and store it in your crisper.
AndreaClaire
Another option:
1. Open garbage can
2. Place bag of kale in the garbage can
3. Close the garbage can
4. Live happily ever after
Sharon
What?! The garbage can? You are crazy. Lol. I actually LOVE kale. It is earthy and just FEELS healthy when you eat it. Or drink it which I mainly do. Try a smoothie Andrea! Add a banana. It is good stuff!!
AndreaClaire
Nope. Tastes like grass to me. Ate enough of that when I was playing soccer.
Elaine
We eat a lot of kale too, and your tips are spot on! I grow it in my garden so I can just pick a few leaves at a time. I’ve been spotted out there in my PJ’s, gathering some for morning smoothies! Great post. Thanks!
Sharon
Maybe you’ll see ME in your garden stealing kale! 🙂 Thanks Elaine.
Denise from Urb'n'Spice
This is an excellent post, Sharon. We use kale in many dishes as well (love salted crispy kale!). Great tips for being environmentally friendly, too. We are the same as you, even recycling the water to give our planters a drink. 🙂 Thanks for the great tips and techniques.
Sharon
Great tip to recycle the water! Thanks Denise. 🙂
Marlisa
Hi thanks for the tips! I use a lettuce keeper.
Progressive prep works is a good one. It can last for more than a week.
Sharon
Right? And it feels so good to get it done. 🙂