Soggy lettuce is a moisture problem.

The way to keep lettuce crisp until noon is to keep water away from it, not on it.

Dry your greens after washing — a salad spinner is worth it. Dressing is the main culprit, so pack it in a tiny container and add it at lunch instead of on top. Then layer a folded paper towel in the container and put the greens on top. It catches condensation as the lunch box warms and shifts.

Cold also helps. Toss in an ice pack so the leaves don’t sweat. And don’t mash everything into one tight container — give the greens some air.

That’s basically it: dry greens, dressing on the side, paper towel underneath, keep it cool. Your salad will still be crisp when the noon bell hits.