One keen Costco shopper revealed her easy secret to keep lettuce fresh after two months of sitting in the fridge. In a video with more than 135,000 views on TikTok, personal finance creator @budget.audit.save described her strategy to preserve romaine lettuce for long periods.
“I put a little napkin or paper towel just on the end,” she said in the video. @budget.audit.save then removed the outer layer of lettuce, which was slightly limp, to reveal a perfectly crisp layer of preserved food. “That’s a perfect head of lettuce after two months,” she added.
By putting a dry paper towel at the end of romaine lettuce, the produce can maintain ideal moisture. The paper towel sucks up any additional moisture that browns and dampens the lettuce, helping it maintain crisp inner layers. While unusual, it’s a tip that’s becoming more common among consumers.
One TikTok commenter supplied an additional tip. @Juicebox said, “you honestly don’t even have to sacrifice the first layer (of lettuce). If it’s only a little limp and not turning orange yet, give it an ice bath and (it) will become crispy again.”
Preserving produce can help many Americans save money
Despite being a small tip from @budget.audit.save, saving food prevents food waste and helps Americans out of financial binds. According to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the average American consumer wastes “$728 worth of food annually.” In a family of four, that adds up to $2,913 per year.
@budget.audit.save is one of many social media users who has introduced audiences to their pantries and day-to-day life as a way of helping others develop financial literacy.
Other TikTok users like @yummytoddlerfood have similar videos with easy tips to reduce food waste. @yummytoddlerfood has specific tips for new parents on how to prevent apples from browning or fruit from spoiling. In her videos, she recommends freezing foods and incorporating ingredients into foods like oatmeal.
Moisture control is one of the biggest factors in maintaining produce shelf-life. Many common fruits and vegetables can be stored in plastic bags with paper towels to ensure they last longer, which can greatly reduce food waste.
What affects lettuce prices? Here’s what the economy indicates
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, lettuce costs 12.56% more in 2025 compared to 2021. A pound of lettuce costs $1.47 on average. Many people would be surprised to discover that that’s actually a decrease in price compared to 2024, where a head of lettuce cost $1.59 per pound.
Why have lettuce prices decreased if produce continues to skyrocket? That’s because a majority of the lettuce eaten at tables across the U.S. is grown in Arizona and California. Different contributing factors, such as growing conditions and water usage, affect lettuce inventories in the U.S..
What factors affect produce prices in the U.S.?
Recent news stories have reported on new highs for certain grocery products across the country, but many Americans still aren’t aware of the effect conditional factors have on U.S grown products.
While the U.S. has a favorable growing environment for corn, potatoes, lettuce, carrots, onions, spinach and broccoli among other fruits and vegetables, these vegetables can struggle due to pathogens and climate conditions.
California’s previous poor weather conditions contributed to increasing broccoli, tomato, and carrot prices in 2023 and 2024. Conditions improved going into 2025, which has helped make California-grown vegetables slightly cheaper.
It’s worth noting that the cyclical nature of vegetable supply creates an over-abundance of certain seasonal produce, decreasing prices when a fruit or vegetable is ready to harvest. However, issues pertaining to growing conditions may cause sudden shifts in supply in the near future regardless of ideal seasonality.
@budget.audit.save Replying to @limited edition ♬ som original – Trilha Retrô
Since December 2019, food prices have risen 29.5%, making it imperative for consumers to save where they can. Diseases and supply chain issues have plagued the meat and poultry industry, negatively affecting their pricing which overall changes the pricing in the market. While some produce prices have been better, tariffs and other recent economic changes have made living more expensive. Tariffs may charge the average American household an additional $5,000 per year according to The Budget Lab.
The Mary Sue reached out to @yummytoddlerfood but was unable to reach out to @budget.audit.save for comment.
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