Baldwin Williams Jr. wanted lunch.
He was craving Jersey Mike’s, but then remembered that his sub would have shredded lettuce. Then he thought about Qdoba — but remembered his bowl would have lettuce, too.
Sure, the 28-year-old from Maryland could’ve gotten his meal without the leafy greens. But Williams firmly believes that “the lettuce is the base.”
Williams has tried to avoid lettuce ever since news broke about Cyclospora, a microscopic parasite that causes the intestinal illness cyclosporiasis. While the exact culprit isn’t clear, lettuce — and specifically iceberg — has been a focus for the Food and Drug Administration.
There’s also been some back-and-forth surrounding Taylor Farms’ link to the spread.
While some ignore the warnings, others are waving goodbye to their greens. That’s especially upsetting for salad heads, craving a crisp summer bowl to beat the heat.
“It’s frustrating, confusing, and annoying,” Williams said.
The big salad confusion
Austin Kreitler loves salad so much that he’s dedicated a whole Instagram page to it.
The 29-year-old from Phoenix said he has had a salad with his dinner almost every night since he was young. Kreitler especially misses the salad bars he used to frequent for lunch, many of which shut down during the pandemic. Now, he rates all of his Caesar salads online.
Kreitler was relieved that iceberg lettuce was the focus (notably not a common ingredient in a Caesar). “I still want to eat them, because they’re one of my favorite meals,” Kreitler said of salads.
Still, Kreitler has kept up with the “scary” news and cut bagged lettuce out of his diet. He watches local news in the evening, scrolls social media, and reads online articles. He’s found it hard to keep up.
“It’s definitely confusing,” he said. “One day it’s this, and another day it’s not.”
That was a common sentiment among the lettuce lovers I spoke to.
Jaylin Eaves, a 29-year-old comedian based in Rhode Island, has a salad twice a week. “I like the crunch,” she said.
After hearing about the outbreak, Eaves said that she’s been leaning on other foods. She called the switch-up “devastating,” turning a food she believed was healthy into a source of worry.
Eaves did fold once. At a recent catered event, someone made her a plate that included a Caesar salad. She started eating it before remembering about the outbreak. “I don’t think it serves me to be paranoid,” she said, referring to it as a “little oopsie.”
“I feel like every morning we find out new food groups we can’t eat,” she said. “I can’t keep track of what I can’t eat anymore. I’m going to starve, and I’m hungry!”
Missing our slop bowls
Mandy Enright isn’t confused — but she is concerned.
As a dietitian, the 45-year-old from Asbury Park has followed the news closely. She purchases her lettuce from local farm markets, so she feels safe eating it.
Enright said that it was especially rough in summer, a time when people want to eat fresh, cold foods rather than “slaving over hot stoves in our kitchens.”
It’s also difficult when she eats out. Enright recently eyed a nice salad on a restaurant menu, before second-guessing herself. She chose a cooked vegetable instead.
For many, ordering salads is a knee-jerk reaction. They’re on many menus, and can be a reliable source of nutrients. That’s especially true for office workers, for whom a midday “slop bowl” has become the norm.
After the Cyclospora outbreak, some eaters are putting more thought into their meals.
Diana Umana called herself a “salad girlie.” The 28-year-old from New York said she ate lettuce every day, frequenting a Bronx restaurant for her chicken Caesar salad hit.
Then Umana heard the news and cut lettuce from her diet. She’s been cooking her vegetables, something she said has led to too many carb-heavy meals.
“I’m someone who’s a meal-prepper, so I’m used to having the same thing every day,” Umana said. “What do you mean I have to think? I hate that for me.”
There’s a good reason to think, after all. While there haven’t been any reported deaths from cyclosporiasis, the illness is certainly unpleasant.
“When I hear the phrase ‘explosive diarrhea’ being used,” Williams said, “it’s like… no. Whole lot of no.”
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