When I am gearing up for a day to stock my freezer with meals, I try to be prepared by cutting up most of my ingredients before the actual day and storing them in my fridge. That’s a great timesaver, right?
Until you open the fridge and WHAM! Strong onion vapors hit you like a ton of bricks! You swiftly slam the doors shut but you know it’s in there lurking, festering and flavoring all the other food around it. Instead of avoiding opening the fridge, here is a great solution so you can stay prepared and also keep the smelly onions at bay. I do this by freezing green onions in empty bottles.
Thrifty Tip: Freezing Green Onions in Reused Plastic Bottles
First, you need to raid your recycling bin for an empty plastic water bottle. Peel off the labels and clean it in hot, soapy water. Let it dry completely. Or if you are impatient like I am, get out your blow dryer and dry it in about a minute. It must be as dry as can be because the moisture will freeze onto the onions.
Once the bottle is ready, chop up your green onions into the size you would like to eat and add them into your bottle. You may need a funnel to get them in–or do as I do, and roll a piece of wax paper into a funnel shape to add them in! Screw the lid on, keeping the onions and their smelly goodness inside the bottle and toss them into your freezer in the back where nothing else usually fits. Then when you need the onions, reach back, grab the bottle, unscrew the lid and shake them into your recipe. I love to use this method when I make casseroles, quiches or to add to my enchiladas.
Any size bottle will work for this. I prefer to use the small plastic water bottles because they fit nicely in my freezer and are easy to grab when I need them. You could even use a glass bottle if you don’t like to use plastic. Both contain the smell and keep them fresh. They last in the freezer for one month.
Nothing better than finding a simple solution to a really smelly problem. I love this simple easy tip of freezing green onions, don’t you?
To prevent them from sticking together you could always freeze them on wax paper on a cookie sheet for a little while first and then put them in your container. I do this with fruit for smoothies or lemons/limes so it’s not a big hard clump!
I use an empty grated parmesan cheese container.
Do you rinse the onions before freezing?
you can if you like! It won’t make a difference.
When they unthaw aren’t they soggy.
As with any frozen vegetable or fruit, they do become soggy. That’s why they are perfect for recipes where they are cooked in the food you’re making. For salads, toppings, or garnish, used fresh.
Definitely will be trying this. I’m a little tired of finding slimy green onions because I forgot about them in the fridge, never mind about the green parts shriveled up.
Hola mi idea es diferente yo guardo el centro del melón , si las semillas, y congeló y con eso hacemos agua fresca. Eso se hace licuado lo equivalente a los centros de dos melones +2 litros de agua. Se cuela, y agregar azúcar según gusto aproximadamente 1\2 taza . Espero les sea útil . Ale de México
Thank you so much for this easy helpful tip! Not only is it easy on saving time, money (from them going bad in refrig) but I believe it will save from kids/ppl germs from spreading because of the easy shake spout of the bottle. 🙂
Great idea for the water bottle. I’ve never thought to freeze green onions! I always freeze leftover diced sweet onion, but have always used ziplock bags. Suppose you could use the bags for green onion also.
I found your website by clicking on a link for the carpet cleaner and i’m so glad i did. We really have to watch our money so i’m always trying to find a better way of doing things to save money and this website is a real gold mine. I thank you so much for sharing all these wonderful idea’s. I can’t wait to start trying them.
Glad to have found another moneysaver! 🙂
Another thing regarding Green onions is sometimes you want fresh ones… Before I freeze them I cut off about an inch of the part where the roots are and place them in a glass of water and put in your kitchen window !! YOOHOO your onion roots will grow and you will never have to buy them again…
Love this idea! I never have green onions when I really want them! I bought some dehydrated green onions, and they work really well….but frozen is even better! Thanks!
I think I will try this with regular sweet onions as well! Thanks for another great tip.
So glad you like it! I am just happy I don’t have to cut up onions every day! 🙂
Great idea! This would also be a good way to freeze chopped onions, mushrooms, peppers, and celery. I’ve frozen mushrooms on a baking sheet then transferred to a zip bag, but I’ll be saving glass peanut butter jars to use from now on.
Ooh mushrooms! Great idea!
Αttention, raw mushrooms in the freezer, become toxic!
Sorry, in the freeze I meant!
My family and I use a lot of mushrooms and sometimes the store has fresh on markdown. I’ve been thinking about getting some and freezing them. I’ve seen mushroom frozen in things like stir-fry veggies at the store. Those aren’t toxic. Where is the difference?
I would be using my Foodsaver and freeze them in bags.
I freeze mushrooms all the time and we’ve never been sick from them.
😱thank you!!!
I have used this for about 6 months since a friend told me about it. I do use canning jars, as I do not buy plastic if I can help it. I was very wary but it works beautifully. I will never lose green onions in my fridge again.
You could also use jam/jelly, peanut butter, salad dressing/mayonnaise jars, plastic or glass, if you want a larger opening. I don’t buy water bottles, but have plenty of the others as we do go through them quite fast.
That’s a great way to upcycle those jars!
A parmesan cheese container lid fits a canning jar (not wide mouth). Just screw it on.
Fabulous idea Karrie! I always end up with icky onions when I need to use them!