keeping salad fresh???

I eat salad almost everyday.. and what I like to do is make a big one at the beginning of the week however when i do this i notice it gets really soggy and gross in a few days... then i tried separating the veggies in containers then mixing the actual salad in the morning before work, but even then the veggies in individual containers spoil pretty quick... so my question is does anyone have any tips on how to make a salad stay fresh longer?

I have had the SAME problem and have tried to invent new ways around it.  I have had some success with keeping salad fresh, but never for a week.   What I have started doing is chopping and washing all my salad ingredients, spin them dry, shake them dry, and pat them dry with paper towels.  I take a big plastic bowl with a really SNUG FITTING, snap tight close, line the bottom with a folded paper towel, put in salad, and place another paper towel on top.  Close the lid, burp out air bubble, and give it another good shake.  I think the extra moisture is what makes the salad go gloppy so fast, and the paper towel trick REALLY seems to help a lot.  It also keeps it from browning so fast.  The same trick works with the paper towels in a giant storage bag, but it is a little more trouble.  I do store all my unchopped partial heads of lettuces, spinach, cabbages, etc., individually wrapped in paper towels in a 2-gallon storage bag in the fridge.  Makes access and salad prep easier and so much faster.

Even doing the above method, I usually max out at 3 days' worth of good salad freshness, sometimes four, but hey it sure beats doing the chopping, washing, and assembly every single time you want a salad for 4 days, especially if you eat a lot of salad!

I sometimes chop my veggies and make salad but I don't put in the salad dressing.  When it is finished I wet paper towels and place over the salad. This crisps it up and also it will last for a few days.  The salad gets really crispy.

Shop at farmer's markets instead of the grocery store.  The quality of your food, the distance it has travelled, and the time it has spent out of the ground before it gets to your plate are all factors in food spoilage.

Most food in grocery stores has travelled 500 miles or more, has been harvested over a week before getting the store, and has been sitting on the shelf for three days or more.  It's no wonder your food won't last long in your fridge.

Contrast this with farmer's markets, where the food has been picked and delivered usually on the same day, and brought to a location near you where you can buy it for an average of $1 less than grocery store retail!

If farmer's markets aren't an option, and you aren't willing to shop every other day for your salad ingredients, then I suggest investing in a really good green supplement that you can add to water every day.

Have a look at this great thread!

Keeping Veggies Fresh

Don't buy the bagged stuff.  I used to buy that and it would sometimes turn brown even before the expiration date.  Invest in a good salad spinner and wash your own, then keep in a tupperware.