I LOVE the taste of onions and I cook with them often. But since the birth of my 3rd child I find that my reaction to them when I'm chopping them is extremely irritating. My eyes water like crazy, but they also burn--so bad it's worse than a rag weed allergy. I have to squeeze them shut and run to the bathroom, covering them with a cold, wet cloth until the burning subsides. Then the incessant runny nose starts and I have to blow for about half an hour. The burning, red eyes doesn't go away for several hours afterward. I can't believe this reaction I'm having-- it happens with all onions. I always used to tear up, but nothing like this. It ruins my eye makeup and everything-- my family thinks I've been crying when they all come home for dinner. Help! Does anyone have any advice? Like I said, I love the taste of onions in my food and I really don't want to stop using them. Just looking for helpful tips others have found useful and effective. Thank you.
Wow, GREAT advice! So glad I asked! Here's what I did: I wore SKI GOGGLES!!! HA!!!! And ya know what, it worked! No tears, no pain. I felt like I could chop onions looking like a freak all day long! LOL!! And they fit over my glasses, so that was great. I also liked the suggestion of freezing the onion.. I will do that in the future. I chopped extra onion today with my goggles on and put it in my veggie bin so they're ready for the next meal. I will say putting them in the fridge makes no difference, so that suggestion does not work for me. Thanks again for weighing in and helping me! Wish I could share my gourmet cooking with you all as a thank you!!
Dried minced onions work well in most recipes - find them in the seasoning aisle.
I've found that onions usually have less potency if they're cold, so keep them in the fridge until right b4 you cut them.
Do you wear glasses? I have noticed that my glasses seem to trap the onion in some how and I get that same crazy reaction you describe. Simply taking my glasses off helps some, but I still keep a cloth handy to cover my eyes as needed.
Have you tried to chop them next to running water. That always seem to help with the eyes for my family.
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I have found that using frozen pre-chopped onions is less costly and easier!
I bought some little swimming goggles just for chopping onions, and the fridge thing helps.
I don't know if this really works, but I find it to work for me: I put the onion in the fridge before I need to cut it. Like 1-2 hours before. Then my eyes don't water. Try it.
I second using the chopped frozen ones. They won't effect you like that at all.
How about buying the pre-chopped kind?
Or making your meal plan for the week and doing all of your onion chopping at one time and store them for when you need them?
Keep them in the fridge, the tear factor will be greatly reduced. I promise.
:)
Could you use a food processor?
The same thing happened to me! I wear sunglasses, you look a little funny, but it works. I have sunglasses that have big lenses so they cover my eyes really well. I still feel some slight burning, but I don't tear up at all. Hope this helps! Believe it or not you can actually buy onion goggles at kitchen stores or probably online. Good luck!
Yes, keeping it in the fridge first.
I saw that on a cooking show once.
Have also heard, that as you chop the onion, put a slice of bread in your mouth, letting it hang out of your mouth, as you cut the onion.
I used to not react to onions when I cut them. It was years before I figured out it was the contact lenses that blocked the reaction. After I got Lasik and didn't wear contacts anymore - I was surprised how much I would tear up when cutting onions.
Yeah, swim goggles will keep you tear free.
I am a caterer and I have heard a few tricks along the way. Onions usually don't bother me too much, so I am not sure how much truth there is to this.I have heard to put the onion in the freezer for about five minutes before chopping. I have also heard to peel the onion and remove the root end under running cold water. Onions apparently spray a chemical when you cut them and when it mixes with your tears makes an acid (sulfuric, I think???). Apparently cutting the root under water keeps the mist from getting in the air. My mother occasionally wore sunglasses to help. If it were me, I'd throw the onions in a food processor and let the machine take the brunt of it. HTH! GL!
Sweet onions are usually MUCH milder in the volatile oil department. But if you absolutely need yellow, purple, white, etc...
SWIM GOGGLES. :)
Our eyes are the most dangerous part of ourselves to expose to volatile oils and gasses (it's why gas masks include our eyes)... because they just *absorb* those oils and gasses like crazy. If you happen to have a gas mask or rebreather... I'd suggest chopping several pounds (with latex or latex free gloves on), and then blanch them for 2-3 minutes and freeze in small ziiplock bags.
I have the same problem as you when it comes to preparing onions. So I freeze them an hour or two before I have to chop them and I do not get the reaction anymore. When I'm in a hurry, I also buy prechopped frozen onions in the grocery freezer section and those work well too. Good luck!
My tweenage Girl Scouts taped paper towels over their noses and mouths. They claimed it helped. LOL!
Im with you. I also love onions and since having children I have a strong sensitivity to their odor (and mints too) I just had a lady tell me if you keep the root attached it helps with the odor. Dont cut down the middle, but start at one end and work your way across.
I also use my Pampered Chef food chopper for onion chopping. It contains that odor in the little cup and then I dont have to touch it.
Good luck!
Keep them in fridge (cold). Then use chopper or small food processor. Sometimes I cut it on the stove under the running range hood. It keeps the fumes away from my face.
I cook with them all the time! At my local health store (trader joes) they sell chopped onions. Also you can do one big batch in the f.p. then ziplock them and freeze. Just make sure they're not very juice so you can use a little or a lot as you go.
Good luck! P.S. the bread thing never worked for me.
Buy the ones in the store that is already chopped up and then you won't have to endure the tears to cut them up.
I quickly scanned the responses you received and didn't see two I've heard of: make sure your knife is sharp and light a candle. Sharp knife makes sense to me; lighting a candle may just be an "old wives tale."
Good luck
J.
Its all about the fumes hitting your eyes that must create this because when I have my contacts on I can chop onions forever and not shed a tear but with my contacts out all hell breaks loose. If you maybe have a fan going while chopping that will blow the fumes away from you while you chop would probably work. Maybe a candle right near by will catch the fumes as well and take them up and out of the way.
Get a chopper from Pampered Chef ~ that helps me. Also, I like one persons suggestion to do them all at once for the week.....
Thanks for posting this. I have had this problem my entire life. I thought I had tried everything, however, after reading through the posts, I now know I haven't. So...I'm going to try the "leave the contact lenses in advice", since I've just gotten contacts for the first time, and if that doesn't work, I'll be trying swim goggles, just cuz it sounds fun.
I've heard that soaking them in milk first, and then blotting them dry, helps to cut down on the toxic fumes they release.
Onion goggles are sold at Bed,Bath and Beyond, Amazon, Sur la Table, Williams-Sonoma and other places.
love my pampered chef food chopper - works great on onions and no tears. cut skin off under running water, cut in 1/2 or 1/4 depending on size and then chop with food chopper. can also be used for other crisp veggies like broccoli & carrots to chop for soup.
This may sound a bit silly, but I have to share...one of the prep cooks in a restaurant I used to manage in Lake Tahoe, Ca would wear his ski goggles while prepping onions (mind you, it was a LOT of onions!). It really worked for him. Maybe something along those lines would work for you? Ski goggles, swim mask, etc...
Might be worth a shot!
Good luck :)
My step-daughter told me to chew gum while chopping them up. I tried it and it really does help to hold back the tears!!
