Pantyhose!
Well, knee-highs to be precise. A couple weeks ago I bought a 5 lb. bag of onions for $1.99. Onions and potatoes are usually a better deal in large pre-packaged bags.
Most consumers reach for the $.99/ lb. produce. But, if you find a good storage solution, the larger bags will stretch your produce dollar further!
I Do Not Like Frozen Onions!
I use them in cooking as much as possible, but I like fresh, not frozen. I’ve tried chopping and freezing onions in plastic baggies and there are some reasons I don’t like this option.
- Onions are full of water. As soon as you cut them they start to release moisture. By the time they freeze the bag is full of water.If you plan to use them in saute they become mushy.
- My freezer smells! No matter how many baggies I double or triple, the smell of onions fills up my whole freezer.
- Chopping onions breaks their cells. Broken cells release sulphuric compounds. i.e. “eggy smell.” Slow freezing means longer time to release all those acids.
- Save money and the environment. No more plastic baggies.
$.50 Solution at Rite Aid
Trader Joe’s mentioned pantyhose, but I prefer knee-highs. I don’t have to hang them up too high and can separate my onions in smaller packages.
So, how do we put this no nonsense storage solution to work?
So Easy a Kid Can Do It
That’s my 3 year-old daughter socking the onions away! After washing and air drying the pantyhose, place the onion inside and push it all the way to the end of the foot.
Tie Me Up!
Tie a knot in the hose above each whole onion.
All My Onions In A Row
Repeat until the leg is full, leave room at the top enough to hang or tie somewhere cool and dark.
Cut And Serve
When you need an onion, simply cut the hose and enjoy!
Keeping the onions dry, separated and suspended should keep them fresh for up to 6 months! A little tip, if the root is long, trim it before placing in the hose.
Have you ever kept onions like this?
$5 for $63 Worth of Product at Rite Aid 4/8-4/14
Hi! I'm Isra, aka The Frugalette. I took my family from fancy to frugal in 3 years, with 3 kids and 1 income, oh and found the meaning of life too! To read more about my fancy life gone frugal, 
This is such a great idea! Can't wait to try it!!
Great, let me know how it works out!
That is awesome! I am like you – I do not like frozen onions. Thanks for the great tip!
Aha, I remember seeing these in my grandparents closet
Their generation had some great ways of storing produce!
I never knew they could last 6 months!
We go through onions so much, I don't know we could go 6 months, but it has been almost a month and they look great.
Wow, that's an awesome idea! My onions go bad before I use the whole bag.
Great tip, though it would be nice if you could re-use the hose, instead of cutting it. Putting something simple like barrettes, twisties, or even tying a piece of yarn between the onions (in a bow for easy removal) means you wouldn't have to keep buying it.
Hi Deborah, I totally agree! Actually even when you cut it, you could just re-tie the hole and re-use it over and over!
Great tip!!
Just wanted you to know that I tried this soon after you posted it and my onions are still going strong! yay!
Yeah! Mine lasted a good 2 months, by then we used all of them.
Wait a minute! So instead of re-using plastic baggies for freezing onions, you're buying new pantyhose every time you run out of onions? That doesn't seem very frugal. What am I missing?
Hi Ginger! Actually you can re-use pantyhose if you just untie it when removing the onion.
I do buy new pantyhose, but for me $.50 every 6 months to hold over 3 lbs. of onions is more frugal than using plastic baggies, and I really dislike the taste of frozen onions. it just doesn't smell or taste the same to me.
this is awesome! no more frozen onions for me!!!
I know, I really dislike frozen onions too!