Keep the dressing in a separate container

To keep salad greens from wilting by noon, pack the dressing in a separate small container and add it only when you’re ready to eat.

The real culprit is moisture. Dressing makes leaves collapse, but so does water left on the greens from washing. Dry your leaves as thoroughly as you can — a salad spinner is worth it here. Then store the salad in a container with a paper towel tucked inside to catch condensation. Swap the towel out if it gets soaked.

If you want to be a little fancier, use a wide-mouth jar: dressing at the bottom, then hard veggies like carrots and cucumbers, then the greens on top. When you’re ready, pour and shake. But that only works if the greens stay out of the dressing. A tiny separate container is the foolproof move.

Also, pick sturdy greens. Kale, romaine, and cabbage will hold up for hours. Tender baby spinach and arugula are more dramatic.

The five seconds it takes to pour dressing at lunch beats a sad, soggy salad every time.