Masie if you eat all the outside leaves you are going to challenge the plant... You could pick a leaf or two from each plant but they need some leaves to keep feeding the root.

Yes, Cabbage needs good, big rosettes when they start to head up, or you don't get decent sized heads. Next year, try scattering some extra seeds with your lettuces to pick early for salads.

plus if you take them of the smaller leaves will have to do there job for them and stress the plant unless you eat a whole one at a time as it would be lovley and sweet being young .

your more than welcome masie x .