Oh, No Onion

Photo by vivek sharma on Unsplash

You won’t learn the value of onions until you lose them. White or yellow onions were out of stock early last year. They were very expensive if there were. The Department of Agriculture warned that an increase in the price was inevitable.

The price of red onions went up to 700 to 800 pesos a kilo in December 2022, depending on the location. Adding onions to a dish has become a luxury as the country feels the effects of inflation. Burger King, known for its onion rings and burgers, has to say something to appease its patrons. 

“While we wait for the onions to come rolling back, in the meantime, have it your way with crispy onion, extra lettuce, and extra tomato.”

Recently, shoppers notice a lowering in the prices of onions but it is still uncertain if this will continue in the next few weeks or months. Moms have to look for other ways to make dishes without onions and they shared a few hacks here:

Hack #1 Substitute other vegetables. Shallots or sibuya tagalog are a suitable alternative to the onion. These are small clustered bulbs that have a mild and sometimes sweet flavor. Shallots are best used in soups and salads that enrich the flavor of dishes, too. – Faye, retired and mom to 3 daughters.

Onion leeks, also referred to as The Gourmet’s Onion, is another option. Leeks have a subtle onion flavor which adds zest to a dish. The white part substitutes the onions for sauteing. While the stalk acts as an herb or garnish. – Gay, homeschooling mom of 3 boys

Photo by Hanna Balan on Unsplash

Green onions/spring onion does the same as the previous two alternatives, which also adds a mild onion flavor to a dish. – Kaye, nurse and mom of two boys 

*Side note: It is possible to reduce the cost of onions by regrowing the leeks and green onions at home. Remove the bottom part with roots and soak them in a container with water. As soon as there is fresh growth, transfer them to a pot with soil. Or leave them as is. You own a supply of vegetables at home. 

Hack #2 Use Onion powder. Instead of using the alternatives mentioned, grab a pack of onion powder at the supermarket. Ground dehydrated onions are rich in vitamins and minerals. You don’t have to pay more for the onion flavor with a small amount. – Charrie, community dentist and mom to 2 young adults 

Hack #3 Make a vegetable broth. One mom keeps onion skins in the refrigerator. She boils them for a few minutes and strains them to get rid of the remnants. She uses the broth to add flavor to her vegetable dishes.. – Mhar, a dentist and maintains a rooftop garden at home

Hack #4 Cut the onions in half and use them for different dishes. This saves a lot of money especially if you are a fan of onions. – Gheanne, newly married and foodie 

Photo by K8 on Unsplash

Hack #5 Leave out the onions. Few people like onions. With the onion crisis, they now have a reason not to use them at all. Add more garlic or ginger to amplify the flavor without the potent smell of onions. 

While these hacks help tide over the onion crisis, it’s not the same without them. Let us hope the supply meets the demand so it wouldn’t be too expensive to make onion rings.