Fun Facts
- Iceberg lettuce is crunchy, juicy and mildly sweet in flavour.
- Iceberg lettuce is one of the only lettuce varieties that does not occur in red form, as well as green.
- It was originally given the title of ‘iceberg’ lettuce because large quantities of ice used to be used to prevent the spoiling of the lettuce in the trains, on their trips to the market.
- Iceberg lettuce tastes great raw and cooked – you could eat it in a stir fry or in a salad. We think both are just as delicious as each other!
Where do we come from?
Lettuce was first grown in ancient Egypt, where it spread to Greece and Rome before it was brought to Europe. Spain, America, Holland and Italy are the four countries which produce the most lettuce, closely followed by Mexico, China, Belgium and France.
Test yourself! Can you locate these countries on the map?
We are good for you!
Like all fruit and vegetables, iceberg lettuce is low in sodium, calories and fat and it is also a good source of dietary fibre. But, iceberg lettuce is especially good for you because …
- Lettuce contains lots of vitamin K which is good for helping the body to heal wounds.
- It has high amounts of vitamin A which is good for keeping healthy skin and boosting your immune system.
Grow your own at home!
Lettuce is really easy to grow in your garden at home, so why not give it a go? Lettuce grows best in cooler temperatures, so it is better to plant it in September so that it is ready for harvesting during the Autumn months. Lettuce contains a lot of water, therefore it does not store well, so it is best eaten fresh after you pick it.
- Rake the soil where you want to plant your lettuce.
- Make a shallow trench (thumb deep) in the soil.
- Sow your seeds in the trench, a finger space apart.
- Gently cover up the seeds with a thin layer of soil.
- Remember to keep the seeds watered and watch them grow!
Make sure you send us a photograph of your plants, we can wait to see how you get on. Or why don’t you send us some photographs of the meals you create with your lettuce. We love to hear all of your recipe ideas!
Experiment time!
Time to do some investigating! We want to know whether or not lettuce floats, just like an iceberg! Send us some photos of your discoveries, you could even try it out with other fruit and vegetables.
Recipe ideas
Lettuce can be eaten in loads of different ways, and we think that all of them are delicious. It goes great in salads and sandwiches but it can also be used in soups, like wraps, in a stirfry or in rice and noodle bowls. Why don’t you try to experiment with some different lettuce recipes and let us know how you get on!