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Remove The Odor Of Refrigerated Onions

Recently I discovered a way to remove the odor of onions in my refrigerator. At least a solution that is working for me.

I just hate to open the door of my refrigerator and be met with the strong and unpleasant odor of onion.

Usually I’ll get tired of smelling it and finally end up throwing the onion away.

But that’s wasteful.

Because I might want to cook a dish later in the week that calls for chopped onions. And then I won’t have any because I threw it in the trash due to the strong odor.

To remove the odor of refrigerated onions, I used wadded up paper towels and double bag it to reduce the smell.

With this method, I will have some leftover onion in my refrigerator to use for what I’m cooking.

So I thought I’d share the solution I came up with. And I hope it works for you too.

How I Keep Onion Odor Out Of My Refrigerator:

I place the leftover onion in a quart sized baggie and seal it. Then I pull about four or five paper towels off the roll and wad them up.

I place one wadded up paper towel in the bottom of the gallon sized baggie.

Then I put the sealed baggie with the onion in it on top of the wadded up paper towel.

I surround the baggie with the rest of the wadded up paper towels till I can’t see it. Then I seal the gallon sized baggie and place it in the bottom drawer of my refrigerator.

Now I’m not put off with the smell of onion when I open my refrigerator door.

I wasn’t able to get rid of the odor when I just put the onion in a quart sized baggie.

This method of double bagging and adding paper towels works for me.

Do you have any tips on food and refrigeration? If so, please leave your tip or tips in the comment section.

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I'm Brenda, creator of Cozy Little House. I live with my cat, Ivy, who keeps me laughing. I graduated from journalism school with a degree in professional writing and won awards for feature writing. I practice gratitude and enjoy my solitude. The glass is always half-full.

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25 Comments

  1. A medium size glass or jar (about 8-12 oz is good) filled about 1/4 full of apple cider vinegar is an effective and inexpensive fridge deodorizer.

  2. If the onion is quite ripe, then after cutting off what I use for that recipe, the rest will be sliced (for later fajitas) or chopped (for soups etc) and placed in baggies in the door of my freezer part of the fridge. If the onion seems in good shape, I will keep the unused part in a small baggie in my veggie drawer for later use. I keep dehydrated onions on hand and they do quite well. Keep forever too. That only works for cooked things, but mostly we use onions in cooked things. One company even has nice dehydrated green onions which I also love (Thrive Life). This same company also has some yummy dehydrated mushrooms, which the last can I put them in my food processor and ground to powder…wowee, love using that powder in things, a Tablespoon at a time…adds flavor without the weird texture (I have a thing about texture). No one knows its there but they do notice the very umami flavor.

  3. Since the onion problem is solved, I’ll switch the conversation to how I keep celery and lettuce fresh longer in the fridge.
    After I cut the celery for soup or whatever, I wrap the stalks that remain in foil, so all is covered. Same with lettuce, after making a salad I always have much of the head left (I do remove the core with a plastic knife first) then wrap it in foil, completely. They both stay fresh several weeks.
    Brenda, don’t feel bad about sending your Dutch oven back because it was so heavy. I bought one several years ago too, and it was way too heavy for me also. Loved the look of it, but I never used it, and gave it to my son and daughter in Law. He does most of the cooking when they go up North to their cabin, so he loves it, and uses it all the time. I’m happy he does, as you know they are expensive, and it does no good sitting on top of my range. Hope your Halloween was a good one, quiet here, no kids out and about, it’s so cold. The city had tricks or treating Friday night on Main street, the kids going from store to store up town. Safer that way in this day and age, I suppose. Things sure have changed since I was a girl.

  4. Good idea using the paper towells. I use them to wrap around many things, inside of a sealed container or baggie… like a head of lettuce or leaf lettuce.. the paper towells keep it from getting wet and soggy inside the fridge. also wrap paper towells around my lunch meat, separately.. otherwise it all gets “wet” for some reason. I think putting the onions in a glass jar would keep the odor out too, plus the freezing works well too, but use the paper towells in that baggie also, as I’ve frozen onions and still get the smell when I open the freezer! Marilyn

  5. I buy frozen chopped onions! No tears while cutting them up. I use them for everything unless I need a sweet onion for something like fajitas. Then there are tears…

  6. Don’t feel bad,Brenda 🙂 I freeze mine as well.

    I must reply to the Corelle dishware…I have it in 3 sizes of plates and 5 sizes of bowls…and I can testify that if it hits the tile floor “just so” it explodes into smitherines. Shards everywhere! Just beware!! Rarely does a piece get dropped, but when it does…beware!

    I was wondering about the dutch oven, Brenda. They are VERY heavy. I got rid of mine as well for that reason. I have 2 large sizes of Farberware pans that I cook spaghetti sauce and giant vats of soup in and have loved them for about 50+ years.

  7. I cut up sweet onions and put them in a freezer bag in freezer. That way when I need some for a recipe I can take some out so it’s not wasted. I’m so glad you’re getting into cooking and baking again for all your friends. It sounds like you’re really happy and enjoying it Brenda! I use my Staub pot for making stews and soups in the winter! When u use your new pot to make soups u could ask Maria if she would clean it out after and put it back on the stove. I have Corelle dishes and I love them! They don’t break if u drop them on the floor!
    Happy Halloween everyone!

    1. I’ve got the Dutch oven in front of my door waiting for them to pick it up. Sending it back. What on earth was I thinking looking for a lightweight mixer and not checking the weight of the Dutch oven? Great idea about putting them in the freezer. Of course I didn’t think of that.

  9. I also keep open box of baking soda on door of refrigerator and change it out every so often. I freeze my extra chopped onion in Ziploc bag.

  10. I haven’t had any odor problems. I use a 1 cup or 2 cup plastic container with a screw on lid (I also use for left-overs from my casseroles, etc. and they work well in my freezer) and put the container in one of the pull-out bottom drawers that are the coldest.

  11. I do what Mary in Pa does – frozen, diced onion. Much easier for me. I do like your idea and will use it when needed with fresh onions.
    Have a fabulous day!

  12. I keep an open box of baking soda on the back of a shelf in fridge. When it stops working, I pour it down the drain to clean that rinsing with water. I store cut onions in a plastic container, but I’ll give a mason jar a try next time.

  14. I found that I wasn’t using up all the onion, so switched to frozen diced onions, store brand in the frozen veggie department. Then I just use what I need. I also used frozen pepper strips and just use what I need each time.

      1. We all have a similar story. I put Dream Fields on my grocery list, looked at it for 2 days, been buying it for years and couldn’t recall what it was. My friend was going for her Dr’s degree and didn’t know what temperature freezing was. We only have so much room in the old noggin! Checked my refrigerator baking soda box, it was from 2009! I also dump it down the sink and add new from a large box!

  15. Happy🎃Halloween! I have had luck using a small mason jar for my cut up onions. My daughter uses the mason jars in the refrigerator and the freezer for everything. Yesterday late evening I commentated on my favorite Corelle pattern Bella Freanza. Take a peek, you might like it. Have a good day.

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