Resources for Onions

Onions are one of the most consumed and used vegetables on the planet. A root vegetable, they are considered a staple in what is considered the Holy Trinity of the culinary world. Carrots, celery and onions make up the base of all soups, stews, stocks and many other dishes. For your restaurant to be successful, you need to include onions in many varieties on your menu.

Growing onions is relatively easy, giving you the freshest sweet onion and red onion vegetables. Pick up some onion seeds and give it a try. If you don't have the room or green thumb, order directly from onion farms, onion producers and onion growers. To find the best onion suppliers, you should:

1. Peruse your recipes to determine the onion varieties you will need for the dishes on your menu and to determine new varieties you’d like to try.

2. Find reputable onion brokers in your area for the freshest onions at the best price.

3. Purchase onions in bulk or wholesale to save money and help clear inventory from onion farmers.

Look through your recipes to determine the onion varieties you need to order from onion growers

There are many varieties of onion -- yellow (sweet), white, Vidalia (purple), scallions, shallots and chives. The variety of onion you choose to use in your dish should depend on the intensity of the onion flavor you want in the dish.

Find reputable onion brokers

The best place to find the highest quality onions is at a local farmer's market or an onion grower in your area. Another option, especially if you want more control over the quality, size and flavors of the onions, is to grow them yourself. This can be done by planting onion seeds or bulbs in Spring and tenderly caring for them until Summer.

Purchase wholesale onions to save money

To save money on onions, purchase them wholesale. This is especially good if you need large quantities of onions (for award winning onion rings), need an assortment of varieties, or want to split the cost between two restaurants. Many wholesalers will offer you loyalty or advance ordering discounts also.