Long story short, you can cut it or tear it — it won't make any difference! To cut or not to cut lettuce, that is the question. You probably grew up with someone telling you, "don't cut lettuce! Just gently tear it," on the premise that metal knives can cause the green to turn brown prematurely. However, that myth has been debunked. Just because a metal utensil makes contact with your lettuce will not cause it to wilt any faster than if you cut it with a plastic utensil, or if you tear it. It will only make a difference if you cut it with a dirty knife, as the bacteria will transfer from the knife into the lettuce.