'Wash before use'

I put salad leaves, cabbage, spinach and similar in a bowl of cold salty water. The salt takes care of anything creepy crawly. Then rinse. I find greens stay fresh longer in a vacuum, so I try to remove all the air before closing the bag with a clip.

I still wonder whether a quick swill under a cold tap really removes pesticide residue. The water just beads on apples, tomatoes, pears etc. Washing to me suggests more than just water.

Unless we are eating it raw I never bother to wash it and we have never been ill from not washing it.

and the caterpillars in home-grown broccoli (they hide in the stalks)

I wash fruit (not bananas or anything that is peeled) and I do wash vegetables that are to be steamed such as broccoli and cauliflower.
We don't eat much bagged salad except for watercress and I always wash it despite it saying 'washed and ready to eat'.

That said I knew someone who used to wash bananas and oranges
Was it Dr Spock who recommended washing oranges before peeling them for children?
'Always wash her orange as it may have been handled by someone with a cold' or words to that effect.
(I may be wrong, I read that 40 years ago!)

It's chemical residues we are trying to remove by washing. They're usually on the surface. There was a major report last year about reduction in healthy sperm and stats from research papers show residues linked to breast cancer. Lots of ordinary fruits and veg have high residue levels.

Yes. I can remember the clouds of whitefly coming up from the homegrown cabbage. Nevermore!!!

The best way around this, is to grow your own.
Trust me, lettuce is probably one of the easiest of veg to grow from seed ( including those fancy looking ones with posh names-- they are not an exception ).You do not need a garden. You can even grow some varieties in pots on the windowsill.
The best ones to choose are the "Cut and Come again" varieties. These are a loose leaved type similar to what you find in the Supermarket salad packs, and as the name suggests, you chop off what you want and it will continue to grow. No chemicals, and a lot cheaper and fresher than the supermarket.
Another salad ingredient well worth growing, is good old fashioned Cress.
Often used these days as just a garnish, but fabulous in a sandwich ( butter not margarine though ). We grew it in Infant School on wet blotting paper. in a saucer. It will grow on anything as long as it is kept watered.
Happy Days.

I never peel a mushroom. Just a quick brush to remove any soil that may cling.

sorry - delete the do please.

Talking of mushrooms - do who peels them ?

My father always used to drink the water veg had been cooked in. I use it for gravy. Like posters above, I wash everything - I've seen slugs in ready prepared salads!!

Sorry kittye don't worry a bit more protein won't hurt seriously hope I haven't spoil your salad s ?

merlot it just tastes like gravy. Think of the vitamins.

Oh hula ! I only buy ready to eat salad as I don't like the idea of creepy crawlies and thought it would be free of them. Now I'll be searching for them in ready washed

If I suggested DH might like to drink cabbage water I'd have to put a shot of vodka in it.

Oh, sorry Trudy. I think you might be wanting to start another thread. Y0u need to go to the Grandparenting forum click here

Any veg cooking water left over after gravy making I force DH to drink. Or I might even drink it myself.

You may have the wrong thread Trudy.

Two rinses in cold water, in a bowl for me. I use the cooking water for gravy and I don't want dirt in it!

I am caring for four grandsons age 2,6,8 & 9. There is no one I know in a similar situation, no real support. Is there any one out there doing the same?

Bags of ready washed salad can become wet and smelly if it's not all used at once,I put a folded piece of clean white kitchen roll inside the bag and reseal with a plastic clip,it keeps for longer!

May be I'm not as good as I should be about washing fruit/veg. However I do try to wash anything that is being eaten raw although do admit to not always washing grapes. When you think about it when we peel an unwashed orange or banana the dirt/germs on the skin goes onto our hands and then most of us eat the fruit without further washing of our hands. Just how far do you go trying to get it right?
My greatest food 'hang up' is making sure everything is thoroughly cooked which can make some things a bit too well done! Does anyone else have this problem?

Nips mum I wipe bottom of milk container before putting them in fridge they are often very dirty . I wash fruit before eating and salad even in ready to eat have seen creepy craw lies in salad .?

I suppose that's true, MiniMouse. I do wash anything that's actually dirty, like leeks, cabbage and the like. Perhaps I should start....