Lettuce 

Enjoy more fruits and vegetables

Grow

Lettuces are from the flowering plant family Asteracae. 

Lettuce is a fairly hardy, cool-weather vegetable that does 

best when the average temperature is 60-70°F. In North 

Carolina, lettuce can be grown in the spring or fall. In the 

mountains (above 3,000 feet elevation), it may be grown 

mid-summer. Seeds can be directly sown as soon as the 

ground can be worked. Plant seeds 1⁄2 inch deep in single 

rows, 8 inches apart. The lettuce plant starts out with a 

short stem called a rosette. The rosette lengthens and 

branches when the plant blooms. When harvesting, you 

can dig up the whole plant, remove just the outer leaves, 

or cut the plant an inch above the soil surface. Make sure 

to harvest the entire lettuce head before it begins to 

“bolt” or grow very tall and produce seeds. This results in 

a very bitter and inedible lettuce.1-4

Choose

Green means go! 

Choose lettuce that is closely bunched with fresh-looking 

green leaves. Large, even-shaped heads with broad, fairly 

loose leaves are considered to be the best. Avoid leaves 

that are yellowing, browning, wilting, or have blemishes 

and small holes.4,5,6

Store

Immediately store lettuce in a tightly covered container in 

the coldest part of the refrigerator (32-36°F, >95% relative 

humidity). Store lettuce uncut and untrimmed, with outer 

leaves in place. Some fruits and vegetables, like apples, 

pears and tomatoes, produce ethylene gas. Ethylene gas 

can cause produce to ripen quickly. Store lettuce away 

from ethylene producing fruits and vegetables. Lettuce is 

best used within 1-2 days. Depending on lettuce type, it 

may be stored for up to one week if refrigerated.6 

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PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF NORTH CAROLINA

State Board of Education

Department of Public Instruction

Fun Fact: Romaine is the preferred lettuce for Caesar 

Salad. The salad is allegedly named after the restaurant 

where it was first served, Caesar’s in Tijuana, Mexico.5

Fun Fact: There are five different types of lettuce: cos, 

crisphead, leaf, butterhead, and stem.1-3

Lettuce Rejoice! 

There are hundreds of varieties of lettuce greens. Some 

examples within each type of lettuce are: butterhead 

(Bibb, Boston), cos (Romaine), crisphead (Iceberg), loose 

leaf (Green leaf, Red leaf) and stem (Celtuce). Lettuce is 

the second most popular vegetable in the United States 

behind potatoes. Romaine is the second most popular 

lettuce variety, but contains 5 times more nutrients then 

the most popular iceberg lettuce.1,3 

Use

Lettuce is usually eaten raw in salads or added to wraps or 

sandwiches, but it can also be sautéed, roasted, braised, 

or even pan-fried. When ready to use, wash raw lettuce 

well under clean, running water. Pat dry with clean paper 

towels. A salad spinner can also help dry the leaves. Do 

not cook lettuce in aluminum or copper cookware. The 

aluminum and copper react with sulfur compounds in the 

lettuce to create unpleasant odors and flavors. It also 

destroys vitamin C, folic acid, and vitamin E.5

Vegetable

Fun Fact: Romaine is also called cos lettuce because it is 

said to have originated on the Greek island of Kos in the 

Aegean Sea.1 Iceberg got its name because California 

growers shipped it covered with ice in the 1920s.3 

Image: Fotolia
Lettuce

Eat

Lovable Lettuce 

One cup of raw, shredded lettuce offers the following 

calories: Green or Red leaf 4-5, Butterhead 7, Romaine 8, 

and Iceberg 10. Lettuce is 95% water, but it still packs a 

ton of nutrients. Lettuce is low in fat and sodium. It is an 

excellent source of vitamin A (Butterhead, Green leaf, Red 

leaf, Romaine) and vitamin K (Butterhead, Green leaf, 

Iceberg, Red leaf, Romaine). It is a good source of folate 

(Butterhead, Romaine). It is also a source of manganese, 

lutein and zeaxanthin. 

Vitamin A supports the growth and health of cells and 

tissue, promotes normal vision, protects us from infection 

and helps regulate the immune system. Vitamin K helps 

our body clot blood and make proteins needed for our 

blood, bones, and kidneys. Folate is needed for blood cell, 

DNA, and genetic development. Manganese helps the 

body form bones and plays a vital role in converting 

carbohydrates, protein, and fat into energy. Lutein and 

zeaxanthin promote normal vision. Soluble fiber helps 

lower blood cholesterol. Insoluble fiber aids digestion.8-9

Enjoy more fruits and vegetables

Find

For more lettuce facts and resources, visit:

1. North Carolina Cooperative Extension, www.ces.ncsu.edu

2. North Carolina Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services, 

www.ncagr.gov

3. Harvest of the Month, California Department of Public Health, 

http://harvestofthemonth.cdph.ca.gov

4. University of Georgia, Center for Food Safety, www.ugacfs.org/

producesafety

5. Fruits & Veggies More Matters, www.fruitsveggiesmorematters.org

6. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service, 

www.fns.usda.gov

7. Oklahoma Ag in the Classroom, http://oklahoma4h.okstate.edu/

aitc/lessons/

8. USDA Food Composition Database, http://ndb.nal.usda.gov

9. Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, www.eatright.org

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer. 07/16

http://childnutrition.ncpublicschools.gov

PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF NORTH CAROLINA

State Board of Education

Department of Public Instruction

Fun Fact: Romaine lettuce was named by the Romans who 

believed it had healthful properties. In fact, the

Emperor Caesar Augustus put up a statue praising lettuce 

because he believed it cured him from an illness.7

Vegetable

Fun Fact: Lettuce is one of the oldest vegetables. Egyptian 

tomb paintings and written accounts date back to 79 A.D.3

Teach

Classroom Activity

Plants need water, air, and nutrients to grow. Nutrients 

are dissolved in water and taken up by the plant roots. 

The most important nutrients are nitrogen, phosphorous, 

and potassium. Traditionally, plants get nutrients from 

the soil, but it is possible to grow plants without soil. This 

can be helpful when soil is not available or it is scarce—in 

urban areas, places where soil has been depleted of 

nutrients, and even outer space. One method used to 

grow plants without soil is called hydroponics, growing 

plants by floating their roots in nutrient enhanced water. 

For a detailed lesson plan, see #7 in the resource list. 

Materials Needed:

 1 black, heavy duty garbage bag

 Styrofoam ice chest with deep lid cover

 6 Styrofoam cups

 6 gallons distilled water

 Perlite (found at hardware stores or plant nurseries)

 Sphagnum moss

 Lettuce seedlings

 Pen and craft knife

 Nutrient mix

 Additional water

Steps: 

1. Line the ice chest with the garbage bag. Fill with water. 

2. Using the cups as a template, trace 6 evenly-spaced 

circles on the chest cover. Cut out circles 1⁄4 inch 

smaller than the lid circles. 

3. Cut small holes in the bottom of each cup. Place moss 

in the cups and top with perlite. Fill to just under the 

rim of the cup. 

4. Insert seedlings into the perlite. Place the lid upside 

down on the chest. Place cups in the holes of the lid. 

5. Each day add water combined with nutrient mix, 

ensuring the container water level is not too high.7