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One of my favorite things to do in the winter, when nothing is growing outside in our -15F windchill under a blanket of snow, is to grow spouts on my kitchen counter!
Sprouts are a SUPER easy way to get your greens during the winter (or anytime of year), easy to grow in small spaces, and are very inexpensive. And have you ever bought sprouts in the store?? SO EXPENSIVE!! It’s definitely cheaper to grow them.
Supplies you need:
- Mason jar
- Sprouting lid
- Sprouting seeds (I’ll share some of my favorite sources below)
This is really all you need! You can get a little fancier and buy a sprouting kit – I did buy one and I like the ease of it for making large quantities. Both my husband and I love sprouts in the winter, and one of my kiddos really likes them too. So we tend to go through them really quickly. But just the lid and the jar (or two) are all you need to get started.
Where to get sprouting seeds:
I have gotten my sprouting seeds from
When you order a sprouting kit like I suggested above, you will usually get a small amount of sprouting seeds with the kit. True Leaf Market sells the kits also. I’ve found that True Leaf Market and Azure Standard have the best seeds in larger quantities.
I personally prefer alfalfa sprouts, but I also like growing mung bean and broccoli sprouts. There are SO many different kinds, though. Just search “sprouts” on either of those sites and you’ll find many different options.
How to grow sprouts:
- Put 2 Tablespoons of sprouting seeds into a quart jar (you will use more than this if you are using a larger kit)
- Fill the jar with water
- Screw on the sprouting lid and put aside for 24 hours. There are mixed opinions on if you should do this in the sun or in the dark. I’ve found good results both ways.
- After 24 hours, drain the water and put the jar back. I like to keep the jar slightly tilted in a bowl so that the water drains out and doesn’t sit in the jar.
- Rinse 1-2 times a day (draining the water each time) until the jar is filled with sprouts (usually 3-4 days).
- If you keep the jar in the dark, you can set your sprouts in the sun for a few hours and they will brighten up in color!
- When you take out the sprouts, rinse them in a mesh colander or just a large bowl so that you can skim off some of the seed casings. This isn’t 100% necessary, but I definitely prefer it.
- Dry your sprouts and store them in the fridge in an airtight container. They will last for several weeks (if they make it that long before you eat them ;)
That’s it… easy peasy! The process for using the sprouting kits is the same, just a slightly different container.
Let me know if you try them!