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Maddeningly, however, recent multistate listeria outbreaks have included foods like ice cream, frozen vegetables and … prewashed bagged salad.

“E. coli outbreaks associated with lettuce, specifically the ‘prewashed’ and ‘ready-to-eat’ varieties, are by no means a new phenomenon,” said Bill Marler, a lawyer who specializes in foodborne illness cases.

If you’re in the habit of reaching for “convenience produce” like prewashed salad greens and presliced fruits and veggies, consider that these ready-to-eat items usually cost more — and spoil faster — than whole produce.

“Everything is prepped and prewashed, since we don’t have running water. All we need to do is grill the salmon and potatoes, set out some utensils.”

These days, finding a bag of prewashed spinach in our refrigerator is still pretty much guaranteed.