Nutrition

They are a great source of vitamin K to meet your Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) supporting blood clotting and an essential role in bone health.

Shopping Guide

Try and go for vibrant green leaves avoiding those that are slimy or wilting but don’t overlook any in the reduced section of your supermarket. Often found here the bulbs can be saved and cut off to regrow your new ones at home.

Storage

To store, they’ll keep on the counter for a couple of days, but up to 2 weeks if sealed in an airtight bag or container in the fridge.

Preparation

Spring onions are usually added to salads or as a finishing flavour to top some Mexican or Asian recipes, but their lovely mild taste makes a great addition to lots of dishes. Grill or BBQ to char and bring sweetness, or pop them into soups, or fry gently at the base of a sauce or meal to bring a little extra flavour.

Kids in the Kitchen

For a younger child, why not get them to wash the spring onions and peel the outer layer off? Perhaps you could show them how to carefully chop the roots off, then let them tear the top half an inch of the greens off. If you’ve chopped them to sprinkle over a stir fry or salad at the end of cooking time, let them do this bit!

For an older child, it could be a great opportunity to teach some essential knife skills. Help them to use the claw grip to slice the spring onions. Perhaps they want to try making a guacamole themselves by mashing ripe avocado and squeezing lime juice into a bowl with some torn fresh coriander and sliced spring onions. Perfect for snacktime or to top tacos for supper.

Sensory

Try describing what you see and feel when you look at a spring onion closely. What does it look like? What does it remind you of? Does it look like something else when you look at a bunch together? What do the roots feel like? What about the tops and sides? Does it feel different? Use your imaginations to come up with fun ways of describing and comparing.

Find more sensory ideas, tips and videos here. If you get stuck and need a little help with describing words, we have a selection for you here, too!

Serving

Next time you make a meal that includes spring onions, why not ask your child to help you with one small step in the preparation (maybe washing them and sprinkling over at the end), then see if they want to help you serve it as “their” meal.

Find the best ways of involving your own child and their skills and interests on our Roles for Kids page.

Activities

Why not try making mixed media piece of art depicting a spring onion? Take a look at a spring onion, or a bunch, and grab some different types of art supplies you have on hand to create your spring onion art. Perhaps find some green and white pages in a magazine to tear up for a collage and use a pen or pencil to outline and add details. Maybe try watercolours and black fineline pen for the colours and details. Or grab some colouring pencils and pens to create layers or shadow and colour changes.

Kids more into science? Why not try your hand at re-growing your spring onions? Cut a few spring onions so you have the white root and about an inch of the onion. Place in a jar or glass of water, with just enough water to cover above the roots. Check regularly over a few days, changing out the water once a day, and watch as new spring onions grow! Why not try keeping a video or written journal of the process?

You can find more at-home science fun with veg with our videos from Stefan Gates’ here.

Find loads more free veg-themed crafts here and games here.