Saturday Share: Storing Cut Onions

How about a tip on how to store onions in the refrigerator where they’re always ready to use in recipes?

Onions are hard to store in a refrigerator because they tend to stink up the entire fridge. Whatever else you have stored in the fridge will reek of onion too.

I came up with this solution several years ago when I receive glass crocks of cheese spread. The crock was glass with a rubber seal and one of those old-fashion wire clasps.

If you’re like me, you hate to throw out something that looks so useful. When it was empty, I washed it and stored it in the top of the cabinet with other canning jars that had once been full of jellies and pickles. I’m frugal. I just hate to toss something so useful in the recycle bin without first trying to find a regular use for it.

Chopped Onion Was the Clue

I was making a recipe that called for 1/4 cup of chopped onion. That meant I had more than half an onion left. So I diced it all up. Then I thought of the jar with the rubber seal and the wire closure.

I retrieved it from the cabinet, filled it with the rest of the chopped onion, made sure the seal was well placed, and closed it. I put it in the produce drawer of the fridge. An hour later, I checked the fridge for onion odor. Nothing!

Wow. I’d finally found something to store cut onion that didn’t smell up the fridge. Now if I need a tablespoons of diced onion, it’s easy to measure out.

I look for these jars, or crocks, at thrift stores like Goodwill. I’ve picked up another 3 over the years that I’ve kept. Any others I find, I give as gifts.

At Christmas, I fill them with a homemade spice mix, attach I a pretty bow and a card that explains to wash and reuse them as onion storage jars.

I’m always on the lookout for these jars, and I find at least 1 or 2 each year. Everyone who has received this as a gift passes on the tip to others.

Takeaway Truth

I’ve never found a better storage container for cut onion. Try it once, and you’ll be convinced too.

Join me every Saturday when I share a recipe, a household or organizational tip, or a short cut to make life easier for you!

Enjoy your weekend.