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Why are chopped onions so expensive?  

post #1 of 53
11/17/08 at 5:28pm
Thread Starter 
I went to buy an itty bitty bag of frozen chopped onions yesterday and they were a little over $2! I can't chop onions myself because it gives me a migraine. Any tips of how to get them for less? I couldn't even do coupons because there was only one brand, with no coupons available for it.
post #2 of 53
11/17/08 at 5:31pm
Could you use a food processor combined with child labor to get them chopped? (You put them in food processor and child scoops them out)

No ideas for buying pre-chopped, sorry. ETA: I assume they are considered convenience items and that is why they are so expensive.
post #3 of 53
11/17/08 at 5:32pm
Yeah, prepared produce is expensive. Same for shredded cheese.
Since you can obviously handle the onions enough to dump from bag to food, perhaps you could invest in an inexpensive chopper that would contain the onion and chop it for you. Just dump to pan.
post #4 of 53
11/17/08 at 5:33pm
Thread Starter 
I have a food processor, but I've assumed there still would be a smell? Which would still leave me with the migraine.

Maybe I could suck it up and sacrifice a migraine in return for chopping a years' worth and freezing them. Would I need to do anything to them to freeze them?
post #5 of 53
11/17/08 at 5:34pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by sanguine_speed View Post
Yeah, prepared produce is expensive. Same for shredded cheese.
Since you can obviously handle the onions enough to dump from bag to food, perhaps you could invest in an inexpensive chopper that would contain the onion and chop it for you. Just dump to pan.
I don't know why, but frozen onion doesn't bug me. But fresh onions give me a migraine. It stinks at potlucks. People put raw onion in the weirdest things.
post #6 of 53
11/17/08 at 5:35pm
Can you chop frozen onions? I've never tried it. Oh and when I use the food processor, the only smell comes after I open the lid.
post #7 of 53
11/17/08 at 5:36pm
Can anyone in your family/friends do a bag of onions for you? If you got someone to chop up a bunch you could store it in freezer bags or tupperware type containers. I imagine someone would be happy to do this for you. Maybe you could have them for dinner after or something
post #8 of 53
11/17/08 at 5:37pm
Thread Starter 
We don't have family in the area, but I have a friend down the street. Maybe I'll bribe her with brownies. Thanks, I didn't even think of that!
post #9 of 53
11/17/08 at 5:39pm
I can't vouch for it, but one tip I've often seen for chopping onions is to stick the whole onion in the freezer for 10-20 minutes before you chop it. Supposedly that suppresses the fumes. Maybe that would work?

I guess a migraine is a pretty high price to pay if the experiment fails, though. I don't blame you for being leery!
post #10 of 53
11/17/08 at 5:40pm
if no one can chop onions for you could you chop them while wearing a mask so you don't smell them?
post #11 of 53
11/17/08 at 5:44pm
Yeah, I was gonna say, have somebody do it for you! I totally would if we lived close enough
post #12 of 53
11/17/08 at 5:45pm
Thread Starter 
Thanks!

I'll try freezing them. If I get a whiff of onion juice, I'll beg my friend down the street.
post #13 of 53
11/17/08 at 5:58pm
I have the pampered chef chopper thing and one thing I really like about it is that you can chop the onions really fast and then just dump it straight from the thing into the pan. Also... lemon juice on the cutting board is supposed to stop the eye-burning-watering thing... maybe it'd help you w/the onion fumes, too? It really does make a difference, when i'm chopping onions the regular way, and my eyes start watering, I dump some lemon juice on the board and it gets better right away. May be worth a try if you get desperate...
post #14 of 53
11/17/08 at 6:05pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by lalaland42 View Post
Could you use a food processor combined with child labor to get them chopped?
First of all

What about dry chopped onions that you can reconstitute?
post #15 of 53
11/17/08 at 6:24pm
I would try a mask if you can't get your friend down the street. I spread them out on a cookie sheet and stick in the deep freezer for a few hours to flash freeze them, that way it isn't just a "blob" of frozen onions, and do 10# at a time. I just scoop out a cup at a time. Love it and it costs me around $6.00
post #16 of 53
11/17/08 at 6:24pm
I bought some dried onion flakes before. They work OK in soups and stews, not good for frying, of course. Maybe you can keep a jar on hand.
post #17 of 53
11/17/08 at 6:29pm
I really react to onions, too, though not with migraines, which must suck. IF you're feeling adventurous, you could try my trick.

I place the cutting board on the stove over the front burner. Then I turn on the BACK burner and run the fan overhead as I chop. The heat carries those awful onion gases up, up, and away!
post #18 of 53
11/17/08 at 7:36pm
Go swimming.

How about swim goggles (if they eye thing still bothers you), nose clips and medical gloves?
post #19 of 53
11/17/08 at 7:37pm
Thread Starter 
All this equipment is going to cost me a lot more than the frozen chopped onions.
post #20 of 53
11/17/08 at 7:41pm
I would just buy the frozen chopped onions and call it a day. After all, you have a medical condition!

I've never even seen frozen chopped onions anywhere I shop, but I've heard tell of them in other locales.
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