How long will it be before bagged spinach is safe to eat again? Is there an alternative to spinach?

Question

I was planning to go on the South Beach diet starting this weekend, and now with the outbreak of e.coli in bagged spinach, I'm clueless as to what to do.

Eating fresh spinach salads is like half of the diet. Frozen spinach is only called for in a few of the dishes. I'm already limited in the amount of things I can eat on the S.B. diet, because I don't eat beef or pork.

Answer 1

The reason that spinach is unsafe is because of the fertilizer used on it. E. coli comes from animals, and the fertilizer comes from animals...you see where this is going. So washing the spinach won't work because the e. coli is IN THE LEAVES. Cooking the spinach should kill the bacteria, but for fresh you will need to wait until the CDC gives the green light. ANY spinach is going to be suspect, including the loose bunches, so try kale, chard, mustard greens or any other dark green leafy veggie until then. They may not have as much iron in them, but they will get you by with your diet until spinach is safe to eat again.

Answer 2

I never heard of e coil with spinach before. Someone must've used too fresh of compost!
Actually spinach doesn't need compost!
Well spinach is very easy to grow. So if you really want spinach why not grow it. If you're living in an Apt. you can grow the spinach in a container! Substitute of Spinach: Beat tops, Dandelion greens, brussel sprouts, broccoli!
If you don't eat meat you'll need to eat some
fruit.. tomatos, bananas, apples, papaya.
Vegetarians should eat at least 2 fruits a day

Answer 3

You might want to try broccoli rabe or kale they are both very good for you and have about the same nutritional benefits as spinach. Any dark green leafy vegetable will work, canned of frozen spinach may would but most of the nutrients are removed through the packaging process.

Answer 4

Bagged veggies are like 'fast food' - convenient, but maybe not all that good for you.

I love fresh spinach salad (with sliced mushrooms and rings from a sliced onion, drizzled with a little olive oil).

Vinnie says grow spinach in a window box. (From seed to maturity is only about 2 months.)

We agree with the other alternatives listed for your question: collard greens, mustard greens, swiss chard.

Answer 5

All you have to do is wash the greens well. That removes the bacteria. You can also cook the spinach, and as long as you get its temperature above 165 degrees f. all the little critters will be killed.

Answer 6

Go to your produce department and buy loose fresh spinach. Why would anyone want to buy leaf veggies in a plastic bag anyhow. No one know how long it has been there.

Answer 7

first of all this isn't the first time this has happened just the most recent with the largest amount of people affected. and its not just spinach its any of the greens in a bag. just buy fresh and chop it up.

Answer 8

The news said it would take at least 2 days to find the source, and then the brands will be narrowed down. After that you would be able to know which brands are safe to eat.

Answer 9

Here's an idea...stop being so self-conscious about your weight. A normal diet will allow you to lose weight if you exercise regularly. There is no miracle diet that works forever, your body will adjust to the change, and the weight will come back if you don't exercise. It's not the food, it's YOU. If you must have an alternative, try grass, it's very tasty.

Dr. Phil put this best...you'd stop worrying so much what other people think about you if you realized how seldom they do.

Answer 10

Who cares. Eat canned or buy fresh spinich loose in the vegi section. Your life is not going to end because you cant have leafy fresh pre washed (yeah..right) pre bagged spinich.