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Plus a dietitian’s take on whether you should avoid lettuce.

Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD

Key Points

• EatingWell editors are buying produce locally this summer to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.
• Washing whole produce, like romaine hearts, is a safer alternative to pre-packaged, pre-washed lettuce.
• Staying away from all produce is unnecessary; avoid recalled items and consider cooked veggie options.

We’ve all seen the headlines, and we’ve all seen the recalls. First it was shredded lettuce catching the blame for the ongoing cyclosporasis outbreak. Then, jalapeño peppers sold at chain restaurants and popular grocery stores became the source of a Salmonella outbreak. Now, it’s hard to tell if it’s even safe to enjoy a fresh, crisp salad this summer.

Personally, I’ve been avoiding shredded lettuce, specifically Taylor Farms products, since the start of the cyclosporiasis outbreak. At first, I thought it could just be my paranoia as someone that reports on recalls and food safety for a living. But it turns out that 40% of Americans have reported buying or eating less produce lately due to cyclospora, per a recent CBS News poll.

So I asked my fellow editors at EatingWellwho consist of food industry professionals and dietitians, a question we’re all wondering: should we be avoiding fresh veggies right now? Here’s what they had to say.

Where Our Editors Are Buying Produce

For starters, it’s clear that our EatingWell editors are not avoiding produce altogether. Instead, they’re changing the source of where they stock up.

“I’m still eating lettuce, but I have been buying it from a local farm stand and pairing it with tomatoes and cucumbers from my garden,” senior editor Megan Ginsberg shares. Buying locally is a great way to mitigate risk of foodborne illness, and this is a habit that our editors are practicing more often this summer.

“This outbreak inspired me to get back into a routine of going to my local farmstand,” our editorial director Carolyn Malcoun says. “And when I don’t have time to make an extra stop, I have only bought locally grown lettuce since the outbreak started.”

Some of our editors refuse to budge from their routines, especially during peak-veggie season.

“I have eaten a salad for lunch every day for years,” commerce editor Kristin Montemarano says. “It’s what I love! I don’t want to give away that little moment of joy I get making it and eating it during the day.” While Montemarano is still eating lettuce, she buys whole romaine hearts to easily peel outer leaves off and wash the rest in her salad spinner instead of opting for pre-packaged, pre-washed lettuce.

But I was not entirely alone; there is a group of us that is avoiding lettuce altogether right now.

“Even though I truly think I would be safe buying, chopping and washing my own romaine or kale, I’ve just totally lost my taste for lettuce this summer,” news editor Leah Goggins notes. “I’ve had local lettuce on a BLT—because I’m brave—but otherwise, I skip it.”

Senior nutrition editor and dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD, ensures that while she is also steering away from Taylor Farms lettuce and lettuce from fast-food chains, you do not have to avoid all produce right now.

“Over-restricting is not only unnecessary, but can lead to gaps in your fiber and vitamin or mineral intake,” Ball explains. “The only produce that needs to be avoided is produce associated with the active recalls. And if you’re really worried about it, opt for cooked vegetable alternatives.”

No-Lettuce Alternatives

This outbreak may not die down until summer is over, meaning you may lose those precious moments with fresh seasonal veggies if you’re avoiding all produce. Here are some lettuce-free options our editors are loving right now that still gives a bright bite, no lettuce needed:

• Chopped Salads: Malcoun shares that she’s been enjoying chopped salads this season. “I feel like chopped salads are a great way to eat salad without lettuce—cabbage is the perfect ‘green’ to add to a chopped salad and has the best crunch,” she says.
• Cucumber Salads: For a hydrating salad, cucumber salads are incredibly easy, starring a produce that’s simple to clean. In fact, our German Cucumber Salad recipe is one of our most popular recipes so far this year.
• Tomato Salads: Whether it be a Marinated Mozzarella & Tomato Salad or a crunchy tomato salad, Ball, Ginsberg and Goggins are in agreement that tomato salads are being prioritized this summer.
• Grilled Veggies: Cooking your veggies at a high temperature does kill off some foodborne bacteria, including the Cyclospora parasite, so take advantage of your grill. “I love to grill, so I’m grilling pretty much every vegetable I can find right now,” Ball shares. This includes romaine lettuce: “Don’t knock it until you try a grilled Caesar!”

Our Expert Take

Overwhelmingly, our editors are not entirely avoiding specific produce right now—not even lettuce. Instead, they’re shopping at local farmer’s markets, being more cautious when washing their produce and making swaps from pre-shredded lettuce to easier-to-clean veggies.

If you’re still feeling weary about eating fresh, raw produce right now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends cooking your veggies to at least can cook produce to at least 158°F for cyclosporasis removal.