Salad greens range from the cool sweetness of spinach, to the biting freshness of baby arugula. Depending on your preference, greens can take center stage in the form of a spicy salad mix, or something subtler, like a garnish. No matter how you decide to enjoy them, greens offer robust nutrients and flavor to all eaters; they’re vitamin-packed, mineral-rich, and high in fiber.
A Quick ‘Field Guide’ to Baby Greens
Arugula | Spicy, sharp
Mustard | Peppery, jagged, purple or green
Mizuna | Slightly bitter, peppery
Cress | Spicy, small, and smooth leaves
Sorrel | Lemony, sharp, colorful
Kale | Red or green, curly or bumpy, sweet post-frost
Oak Leaf Lettuce | Buttery, mellow, sweet, large leaves
Mache | Nutty, mild, herbal
Spinach | Bittersweet, buttery, rounded leaves
Michigan Salad Greens
Michiganders can enjoy greens year-round. In the spring and summer, CSAs brim with crisp arugula, buttercrunch lettuce, and baby mustard greens; autumn markets boast sweet spinach and hearty kale; and thanks to hoophouses and hydroponics, delicate greens can be enjoyed all winter long. Temperature control, nutrient supplements, and artificial sunlight are methods used by growers to keep local salad mixes available throughout the colder months.
Eating Salad Greens (Outside of Salad)
Name a dish, any dish. No matter your choice, there’s a good chance greens can be incorporated. What about the picky eaters who run from salads? No matter. Add blended greens to sauces, rice, or soups!
Check out some different ways to use greens in the kitchen:
Stir-Fried Baby Greens with Ginger and Garlic
Quiche with Sausage and Mustard Greens
How to Store Baby Greens
Greens growers may single wash, triple wash, or choose to sell their mixes unwashed, depending on how and what they grow. No matter the method, growers typically recommend leaving your greens unwashed until just before eating, in order to maintain freshness. Washing beforehand makes them more susceptible to rot because of the trapped water, so if you like your greens slime-free, unwashed is the way to go. If you’re curious about the process, ask! Farmers are often happy share their growing practices.
When you decide to wash your greens, salad spinners will allow you to wash and dry efficiently. When you’re finished spinning, you can lay out the leaves on a fresh towel to dry or you can leave it in the spinner and pop them in the fridge!
Where to Find Michigan Salad Greens
Despite the chilly temperatures, Michigan farmers throughout the state offer greens year-round and we can help you find them! Our Find Food & Farms Directory enables you to search for a source close to you.
Further Reading:
- Beet and Arugula Salad
- Roasted Delicata Squash and Ginger Salad
- Microgreens: More than a Beautiful Garnish!
Emily Row is the Media & Brand Manager at Taste the Local Difference.
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