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Food Safety Blog Recipes

Tag: Nutrition/Diet

Fighting Food Deserts with Value-Added Produce

Posted on by Foodmix Marketing

The world population is projected to reach 10 billion by 2050. That’s a lot of hungry people to feed. And today, we aren’t succeeding. An estimated 815 million people around the globe are suffering from hunger. In order to feed the world’s growing population, agricultural production will need to increase by 60% over the next 30 years. 

But having food available isn’t enough. We need to be able to get that fresh produce to the people who need it. Currently, about 23.5 million Americans live in food deserts – locations where access to affordable, healthy food is difficult because grocery stores are too far away. Nearly half of those people are also low-income, and scarcity of product drives up the price. 

How do we end food deserts and feed our nation? Value-added products are an essential part of the strategy.

What Is a Food Desert?

Food deserts can sound like an unbelievable thing. How is it possible that in a modern world with so many items at our fingertips, families don’t have access to fresh, healthy foods? It’s a more common problem than you think. For example, 2.3 million people in the US live in rural areas that are more than 10 miles from a grocery store. 

Urban areas aren’t exempt, either. Grocery chains typically don’t build stores in poor neighborhoods, and lower income households are less likely to own cars. Lack of transportation makes shopping more than a few blocks away nearly impossible, so families make do with what’s easily accessed — corner stores that sell processed items and fast food restaurants.

Without easy access to fresh foods, people are more likely to make unhealthy choices and eat an unbalanced diet. This leads to health problems like obesity, diabetes, and heart disease. In Chicago, the death rate from diabetes in a food desert is twice as high as areas with easy access to larger stores with affordable produce.

Value-Added Produce Can Make Real Change

Value-added products are just that – products that add value beyond traditional options. In the world of fresh produce, value-added products are designed to save consumers time, make foods more readily available, and be attractive to retailers with easy store packaging. 

For example, a gas station or corner store may not have the facilities or floor space to stock and sell individual or bulk apples, but pre-sliced apples in individual bags and containers can be a more efficient option. The apples haven’t lost any of their nutritional value by being pre-sliced and packaged, but they are easier for the retailer to sell and easier for buyers to consume. Busy people don’t have to stop to slice and prep their apples. Instead, they grab and go. 

Gills Onions: Experts at Value-Added

At Gills Onions, we are proud to contribute these value-added products to the marketplace:

  • Diced Yellow Onions
  • Diced Red Onions
  • Diced Celery and Onions
  • Diced Mirepoix (a mix of onions, carrots, and celery)
  • Diced Pickled Onions

We pack our retail products in 8 to 10  oz., BPA-free, recyclable clear cups with reusable lids. Our packaging locks in freshness and is easy for retailers to store and display. It’s also easy for buyers to transport to their homes. 

When you’re ready to prepare your meal, there’s no need to wash and chop vegetables. Instead, fresh, healthy food is at your fingertips. We currently serve retail grocers throughout the state of California. As we extend our reach nationwide, we hope to share our best-in-the-industry produce with more and more people, working to eliminate food deserts and bring fresh vegetables to every table.

Ready to try onions the Gills Way? For more information, contact our sales department. 

From Our Fields to Your Kitchen: Gills Onions Retail Products

Posted on by Foodmix Marketing

There’s nothing better than a freshly diced onion, but actually peeling and chopping the onion can be one of the worst jobs in the kitchen. 

At Gills Onions, we know this fact isn’t just true in commercial kitchens. The average American consumes over 20 pounds of onions each year. That’s a lot of chopping and a lot of tears. But it doesn’t have to be that way. 

With our retail line-up of fresh cut onions, we’re bringing the delicious flavor of the world’s best onions to your kitchen. Say goodbye to tears and hello to the best onions you’ve ever had. 

Our Onions, Your Grocery Store

We pack our retail products in 6 oz., BPA-free, recyclable clear cups with reusable lids. A breathable under-lid film seals in that sweet onion aroma and locks in freshness. 

Customers crave convenience as much as they crave flavor. This packaging makes it easy to store fresh onions in your fridge, use what you need, and reseal the container until the next time. 

Currently, we process and package:

  • Diced Yellow Onions – Use to spice up any recipe that calls for chopped or diced onions. 
  • Diced Red Onions – Add something extra to soups, chilis, and sauces, or use as a colorful condiment. 
  • Diced Celery and Onions – The perfect blend for potato salads, tuna salads, and holiday stuffings and casseroles. 
  • Diced Mirepoix – An aromatic mix of onions, carrots, and celery. Add to sauces, braised meats, and marinades. 

You’ll find our products in the value-added section of retail grocers throughout California. 

Quality, Convenience, and Flavor

Our retail line-up comes 100% washed and ready-to-use with an 18-day shelf life – the longest shelf life of any fresh cut onion. All our products are kosher-certified, gluten-free, and non-GMO verified. 

Gills Onions is the only vertically integrated grower, processor, and shipper in the U.S. That means we grow, cut, and ship every onion that arrives in your kitchen, allowing us to maintain the highest quality standards. Our onions are grown “The Gill Way.” We are dedicated to innovative and sustainable agricultural practices, which create better tasting onions and better fields for future generations. 

Growing Our Retail Options

Our retail product line is growing! There are exciting new products on the horizon, like diced pickled onions – a tangy complement to grilled meats, dips, deviled eggs, potato salad, and more. 

We’re also working on partnerships with major retailers that would allow us to make our delicious fresh cut onions available in grocery stores across the United States. We can’t wait for you to taste the difference – and enjoy the convenience – of onions grown “The Gill Way.” 

If you’re still chopping onions, it’s a crying shame. Contact our sales department to learn more about how we can save you time and money.

A Little Onion Goes a Long Way: Boosting Your Respiratory Health

Posted on by Foodmix Marketing

You’ve heard the saying, “You are what you eat,” and it’s true! What we put into our bodies becomes the fuel that allows our essential systems to function. And when we’re sick, the food we eat becomes critical medicine that enables us to fight off illnesses. 

At Gills Onions, we are proud to continue to work hard to supply America with a safe product that works to promote healthy living and tastes great, too. 

Boost Your Respiratory Health with Onions

Remember that the food you eat can help your immune system prepare to fight germs and disease in a post-COVID world. Instead of gravitating toward processed foods, reach for fresh fruits and vegetables.

Onions, especially, give your body the power to battle toxins that lead to illness because they contain high amounts of essential nutrients including: 

  • Vitamin C
  • Dietary fiber
  • Folic acid
  • Calcium
  • Iron
  • Zinc

The National Onion Association also reports that the organosulfur compounds responsible for the taste and smell of onions can reduce symptoms from diabetes and prevent inflammation from asthma.

For centuries, onions have been used as a home remedy to treat coughs and colds. Drinking onion juice or making your own onion syrup can soothe irritated throats. Those same sulfuric compounds that prevent inflammation also help fight mucus and act as a natural expectorant. 

Quercetin: Key for Good Health

They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but the same could be said of onions. Like apples, onions contain quercetin, a powerful antioxidant that helps delay oxidative damage to cells and tissue. It also has antiviral properties and histamine regulating effects. 

Studies have shown that quercetin eliminates free radicals in the body, protects and regenerates vitamin E, and deactivates the harmful effects of chelate metal ions. It strengthens capillary walls to reduce inflammation and can also protect the lining of the lungs and bronchial tubes from damage caused by pollution and other contaminants in the air. 

Recent studies at Wageningen Agricultural University in the Netherlands, demonstrate that the body absorbs three times more quercetin from onions than from apples. So, when in doubt, add some onion into your diet. 

Uniting Together to Fight for Good Health 

At Gills Onions and throughout the onion industry, we truly believe that onions are the perfect vegetable. For centuries, they have been a staple in diets around the world, and modern science continues to show us what eating onions can do for our collective health. Every fruit or vegetable that you eat fuels your body and boosts your immune system. 

We hope that you will stand together with your communities and work to keep each other safe and healthy. Our team will continue to work hard to provide you with fresh vegetables that elevate your health and provide a consistent source of nutrition for our society year-round. 

Ready to try onions grown “The Gill Way”? Contact our sales department to learn more.

Onions: The World’s Best Kept Secret

Posted on by Foodmix Marketing

For centuries, onions have been a staple in diets around the world. It’s no surprise. Onions are the perfect way to add flavor and nutritional value to the foods you enjoy every day. 

At Gills Onions, we may have a bit of an onion bias. But we’re confident that once you’ve learned a few fun facts about this versatile vegetable, you’ll agree that onions are hard to beat.

Thousands of Years of Eating Onions

Onions have been cultivated for more than 5,000 years, long before writing or farming were invented. No one can conclusively say where domesticated onions originated, but most researchers guess either central Asia or Iran and West Pakistan. 

It makes sense that onions were one of the earliest cultivated crops. They are less perishable than other fruits and vegetables, easy to transport, easy to grow, and can thrive in diverse climates. Onions can also be dried for consumption in times of drought or famine. 

Once written records were kept, many civilizations reference the use of onions in food, art, medicine, and even mummification. By the Middle Ages, onions were one of the three main vegetables used in European cuisine.

The first Pilgrims brought onions with them on the Mayflower to North America, but when they arrived, they discovered that wild onions were already growing plentifully across the continent. Native Americans ate onions raw and cooked and used them to season meat and other vegetables. 

An Onion a Day Keeps the Doctor Away

Onions are known for their delicious flavor, but they should also be known for their numerous health benefits. 

Onions are high in essential nutrients including:

  • Vitamin C
  • Dietary fiber
  • Folic acid
  • Calcium
  • Iron

Onions are also low in sodium and are naturally fat-free. 

They say an apple a day keeps the doctor away, but the same could be said of onions. Like apples, onions contain quercetin, a powerful antioxidant that helps delay oxidative damage to cells and tissue. Studies have shown that quercetin eliminates free radicals in the body, protects and regenerates vitamin E, and deactivates the harmful effects of chelate metal ions. 

And recent studies at Wageningen Agricultural University, the Netherlands, demonstrate that the body absorbs three times more quercetin from onions than from apples. 

Other studies show that onions may reduce the risk of certain diseases including cancer, gastric ulcers, heart disease, cataracts, and osteoporosis.

How the World Eats Onions

Today, onions are the third largest fresh vegetable industry in the United States, grown in 25 of the 50 states. The average American consumes about 22 pounds of onions per year. This number represents a 79 percent increase in onion eating over the last three decades. 

Worldwide, onion production amounts to approximately 105 billion pounds each year. The average onion consumption equals about 13.67 pounds of onions per person. Libya has the highest rate of onion consumption per capita, averaging 66.8 pounds per person. 

The onion is used in 93 percent of American dining establishments. It is one of the top menu items for appetizers with popular dishes like onion rings, onion blooms, and French onion soup. 

Red onions are also gaining popularity in the U.S. foodservice scene. You’ll find them on pizza, salads, and sandwiches.

Ready to try onions grown “The Gills Way?” Contact the Gills Onions sales department to learn more.

Three Cheers for Onions! Join Gills Onions in Celebrating National Onion Month

Posted on by Megan Jacobsen

June is National Onion Month! It’s time to celebrate all things onions and all the wonderful ways these versatile vegetables make life healthy and delicious. 

At Gills Onions, we couldn’t be prouder to be part of bringing this amazing product to your kitchens. That’s why we’re marking this month by sharing some of our favorite onion facts. We hope they help you appreciate onions as much as we do. 

Centuries of Amazing Onions

Before farming was invented, humans were eating onions. And, once the earliest humans began cultivating crops more than 5,000 years ago, onions were one of the first to be domesticated.

Onions were the perfect crop for early civilizations. Their hardy nature makes them less perishable than other fruits and vegetables. They are also easy to grow, easy to transport, and can be stored or dried to be used in times of scarcity. 

Ancient civilizations used onions not only for food but also for medicine, art, and worship. In Medieval times, onions were sometimes used as currency, rent payments, and even wedding gifts. 

When the first pilgrims arrived in America on the Mayflower, they brought onions, but surprise! Native Americans were already using wild onions for cooking and healing, as a source of dye, and even as toys.  

Americans Can’t Get Enough Onions

Today, onions are the third largest fresh vegetable industry in the United States, with over 125,000 acres of onions planted across the country. The average American eats 20 pounds of onions per year, which means our nation collectively eats over 450 semi-truck loads of onions each day. 

The onion is used in 93 percent of American dining establishments. It is one of the top menu items for appetizers with popular dishes like onion rings, onion blooms, and French onion soup. 

Hot tip: If you’ve really enjoyed your onions for the evening and are afraid of fragrant breath, freshen up by eating a bit of fresh parsley. 

Onions Are Great for Your Health

They don’t call onions nature’s ninja for nothing. Onions offer countless health benefits to everyone who eats them. 

In fact, the saying an apple a day keeps the doctor away could also be said of onions. Like apples, onions contain quercetin, a powerful antioxidant that helps delay oxidative damage to cells and tissue. And recent studies at Wageningen Agricultural University, the Netherlands, demonstrate that the body absorbs three times more quercetin from onions than from apples. 

Onions are low in sodium and are fat-free. They are also high in essential nutrients including:

  • Vitamin C
  • Dietary fiber
  • Folic acid
  • Calcium
  • Iron

New health research shows that onions may reduce the risk of certain diseases including cancer, gastric ulcers, heart disease, cataracts, and osteoporosis. Their natural ability to reduce inflammation also makes onions helpful in treating respiratory illness.

Celebrate by Eating an Onion

So, this month when you’re shopping or grabbing take out from your favorite restaurant, reach for the onions. As for Gills Onions, we’ll continue working alongside our fellow US onion growers and wonderful advocates like the National Onion Association to bring this amazing food to consumers like you. 

Ready to try onions grown “The Gill Way”? Contact our sales department to learn more. 

Onions: The Perfect BBQ Ingredient

Posted on by Megan Jacobsen

Grab the grill, start up the smoker, and read up on your favorite recipes. May is National BBQ Month, a time to celebrate the fun and – of course – food that BBQ brings. As you plan your menu for your next BBQ, don’t forget the onions! Onions are a versatile and delicious addition to many BBQ dishes, sauces, and sides. Here are a few ideas of how you can use onions to create mouthwatering BBQ meals. 

Start with a Sauce

Whether you’re eyeing hamburgers, hot dogs, steaks, sausage, or ribs, every BBQ deserves a good sauce. Onions are a great added ingredient to your favorite store bought sauce, or you can try your hand at crafting a sauce of your own. Here are a few recipes to get your creative juices flowing. 

Caramelized Onion BBQ Sauce — Caramelized red onions, horseradish, and chipotle powder add depth and spice to this versatile BBQ sauce. You can customize it with your favorite store-bought BBQ sauce, favorite beer, or favorite non-alcoholic beverage. Try a tangy apple juice for a family-friendly version. 

Caramelized Onion and Honey BBQ Sauce — If you like a sweeter sauce, try out this honey, tomato, and, of course, caramelized onion recipe. You’ll also find hints of molasses, mustard, brown sugar, and bacon.  

Sweet Onion Apple BBQ Sauce — If you crave the freshness of summer BBQ with the warmth of fall flavor, this is the sauce for you. Slow cooked apples, pureed caramelized onions, and cinnamon combine to delight even the most picky palate. 

Get Creative with Grilled Onions

One of the best things about onions and BBQ is that onions easily stand on their own. If you want to upgrade your recipe, just add some grilled onions. Or, you can get a bit more creative and add your own culinary flare. Here are a few ideas to get you started. 

Charred Onions and Chives — Follow these simple steps to get a beautifully charred onion each time you grill. The key is heat, a bit of olive oil, and salt. Top it off with finely chopped chives. 

Grilled Blooming Onion — That’s right. You can make this famous restaurant onion appetizer at home on your own grill. This recipe uses mozzarella cheese, your favorite steak sauce, and a large white onion to make a dish that is pretty to look at and good to eat. 

BBQ Onion Steaks with Honey Mustard Sauce — For the vegetarians in your life or to simply mix up your meal, grill up a batch of these onion “steaks.” Thick slabs of onion are covered in a honey mustard sauce and grilled until caramelized. 

Stuffed BBQ Onions — This innovative take on grilled onions uses the onion itself as a bowl to house delicious bits of BBQ onion and bacon. 

Spice up Your Side Dishes with Onions

If you’re searching for the perfect side dish to highlight your BBQ skills, onions can help any food shine. White and red onions are the stars of many wonderful salads and soups as well as important components of vegetable side dishes. 

Caramelized Onions and Apples — Slow cook sliced apples and sliced onions until caramelized. Then, dress them up with thyme sprigs for a tasty side dish. 

Peppers and Onions — Simple and satisfying, combining red and yellow bell peppers with yellow onion in a light sautee makes a great topping for BBQ meats or hot dogs. 

Balsamic Mushrooms and Onions — If you’re more of a mushroom maven, try this simple combo that pairs them with onions and balsamic vinegar for a zingy side dish or steak garnish. 

Classic Coleslaw — This chilled BBQ classic is easy to dress up. Grab a pre-made coleslaw mix and add a few ingredients like minced onion, buttermilk, and white wine vinegar to make a sauce that zings. 

Onion and Quinoa Salad — Bring together ancient grains and fresh onion for a refreshing summer side dish. 

Ready to try onions the Gills Way? For more information, contact our sales department. 
 

STEM is GREAT Initiative: Bridging the Gap between Agriculture and Technology

Posted on by Megan Jacobsen

In April, Gills Onions welcomed young health academy students from local Ventura County High Schools. Headed by the S.T.E.M. is G.R.E.A.T. Initiative, the students got to experience the magic of onion power for themselves! Students were able to watch the Gills Onions zero-waste project in action – ensuring that all onion waste is reused to create a sustainable energy source.

Harvesting Energy: Gills Onions’ Commitment to Environmental Sustainability

Our plant can process up to a million pounds of raw onions each day, creating an average of 150 tons of onion waste. By collaborating with innovators across the United States over several years, Gills Onions was able to develop the Advanced Energy Recovery System (AERS), which converts onion waste into ultra-clean, virtually emissions-free electricity. 

The AERS provides 100% of the base electrical load for our processing plant, the equivalent of enough power to supply 460 homes for an entire year. It also eliminates 14,500 tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year.

While these students’ interests may lie in the medical field, they had a unique opportunity to create a connection between where our food is coming from, what we put in our bodies, and the process to get it there, all while having a significant impact on our health and the environment’s health. 

As our communities progress and thrive, the importance of S.T.E.M. grows increasingly apparent. This is especially true in the local agriculture industry, where S.T.E.M.-related careers offer unique and exciting opportunities for students to get involved in innovative scientific research, cutting-edge technology, and 21st-century engineering.

Empowering the Next Generation of Agricultural Leaders: The Impact of SEEAG

Since 2008, SEEAG (Students Eco-Education and Agriculture) has impacted the lives of over 100,000 students and community members, providing food & agricultural literacy programs and community education & outreach events 100% free of charge.

SEEAG began with one dairy farmer’s daughter and her vision to change the lives of young women. When Mary Maranville arrived in Ventura County, California over 20 years ago and saw the bounty of local agriculture and farms, it inspired her to educate local school children about the origins of their food. SEEAG is a mission dedicated to the memory of Mary’s father and was founded to cultivate agricultural ambassadors with the hope they will help preserve family farms around the world. 

Seeing as how there was such a demand for women in the field, the STEM is GREAT initiative (Science Technology Engineering and Math and Girls Representing and Entering Agriculture Today) began as a way to provide more opportunity and insight into the Agricultural industry to underrepresented high school girls in Ventura County, especially women of color.

The program has since expanded to include all school-age children in Ventura County as well as Santa Barbara, providing foundational knowledge on Agriculture during workshops, hands-on lessons, and field trips to local farms.

SEEAG programs also expand to The Youth Wellness Initiative, which educates, inspires, and empowers kids to increase their consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables. Farm Lab brings kids directly to farms, building awareness of and appreciation for agriculture from farm to consumption. SBC & Farm Day educates the community about the farm origins of their food in order to cultivate informed citizens and agricultural ambassadors. 

The S.T.E.M. Career Pathways in Agriculture is designed to open students’ eyes to these opportunities and help them explore the ever-evolving world of agriculture. By getting involved in this dynamic field, students can make a real difference and help shape the future of agriculture. Join us on this journey of discovery and innovation!

To learn more about S.T.E.M., visit https://www.seeag.org/stem

Join the Double Your Impact Challenge

Gills Onions is a long-time supporter of SEEAG’s agricultural education programming.

“SEEAg does a really good job with their S.T.E.M. program. Our Gills team enjoyed welcoming these students to our facility and showing them firsthand what we do as a business in their community,” said Steve Gill, Gills Onions president and SEEAG board member. “We believe in SEEAg’s mission in educating students about the origins of their food, so they feel empowered with that knowledge as a consumer.”

Join Gills Onions donation match program in May for the “Gill’s Onions Double Your Impact Challenge” where Gills Onions will match all donations up to $15,000 for every dollar donated to Students for Eco-Education and Agriculture (SEEAG) as part of SEEAG’s annual Double Your Impact Challenge.

 For more information or to donate, visit www.seeag.org/doubleyourimpact.

Ready to try onions grown “The Gills Way”? Contact our sales department to learn more.

Onions – The Unsung Hero

Posted on by Foodmix Marketing

Article Originally Published in Flavor & The Menu

As kitchen ingredients go, onions often don’t get the respect they deserve. While flashier seasonal products – looking at you, truffles, morels and spring peas – often hog the spotlight with special menu items created around them, the ever-present onion remains in the background doing its important work with little or no fanfare or attention.

At Gills Onions, however, it’s a much different story. What began in 1983 as a passion project of brothers and fourth-generation farmers Steve and David Gill to offer the highest quality, sustainably grown fresh-cut onion products to its foodservice and retail customers, has become one of the largest family-owned onion growers and processors in the world. Using a three-pronged approach to its onion farming that focuses on innovation, conservation and sustainability, Gills ensures their onions have the best growing conditions and the lowest environmental impact.

To help shed some light on their unique onion growing process, Gills Onions recently hosted a true farm-to-table experience for a group of chefs at one of their farms in Bakersfield, Calif.

“It was eye opening to taste through many onions and learn the details of the farming that result in such a superior product,” says Chef Chris Shackelford of Trelio Food and Wine in Clovis, Calif.

Creating a superior product starts with using the highest quality soil that is rich in macro- and micronutrients, which in turn creates a strong root system aiding in withstanding pests and extreme weather. Raised from seed to harvest by their experts, Gills’ onions are processed in their own facility, guaranteeing they are in control of the entire process up until their onions arrive at customers’ doors.

TRACING QUALITY

“Product tracing is extremely important,” says Chef Michael Ponzio of Chicago’s Union League Club. “Knowing the care and attention that goes into a product I buy helps ensure that my customers are receiving a quality product from a safe and reliable vendor. We have so many options now, so it is our responsibility to provide our customers with the best products.”

Gills Onions’ Steve Gill echoes that sentiment. “At Gills, we have the ability to trace the product all the way back to the field. Traceability should not stop at the distributor level; it needs to have the ability to be traced all through the supply chain.”

For Shackelford, the ability to trace a product to its source is not only vital for food safety but also plays a role in food consistency. “Agriculture can vary year to year and knowing a farmer that has put considerable effort into the terroir and farming practices ensures that we are cooking with a consistent piece of produce each time,” he says.

Getting a glimpse firsthand into the sustainable symbiotic waste-powered energy solution Gills Onions employs – including converting 100 percent of their onion waste into emissions-free electricity—was another pleasant discovery for the chefs. “Their sustainability practices blew my mind,” says Ponzio. “It is amazing how they use their own byproduct to make methane for their production, and how a business that size could be so environmentally friendly.”

Available in a variety of formats, ranging from diced and sliced to slivered and whole peeled, Gills Onions arrive 100 percent washed—ensuring that the unsanitary dirt and bacteria common with unpeeled onions isn’t brought into your kitchen—and ready to use. “We’ve worked hard to achieve an 18-day shelf life to ship into every market within the U.S. and Canada,” says Gill, adding that their onions’ strong cellular structure translates to less odor and can be cut with fewer tears. “This level of quality does not happen by accident.”

And chefs have taken notice.

“It’s not easy as a chef to commit to buying processed products, but Gills takes the time to focus on their quality and shelf life ensuring that the peeled onions we get are even better than the whole commodity ones we used to buy,” says Ponzio. “This helps my team save time, be more productive and actually increases our quality.”

Ready to try onions the Gills Way? For more information, contact our sales department.

2023 Food Trends to Watch for // December Innovation Lab

Posted on by Foodmix Marketing

This past December, Gills Onions invited four amazing chefs to craft innovative recipes inspired by Flavor & The Menu’s upcoming food trends for 2023. Each expert culinarian was tasked with creating different recipes based on flavor trends while using a very special ingredient – Gills onions! The results were nothing short of magical, and we can’t wait to feature these recipes more throughout the year.


All About Flavor (& The Menu)
Flavor & The Menu’s (FTM) trend forecasting has been a staple in the restaurant industry for nearly 20 years. We love working with these experts (along with FoodMix Marketing Communications) in our Innovation Labs to inspire chefs from all over the world. Every year FTM looks at menu development through the lens of flavor, and the trend list for 2023 is bursting with it.


The Chefs Behind The Magic
We couldn’t have asked for a more fitting group of chefs for this experience. Each of them is wildly talented and went above and beyond in their flavor creations. Meet the chefs who joined our Innovation Lab, and take a look at a few of their standout recipes:


Steven Agosto
Steven is the Executive Chef for Morongo Casino Resort and Spa in Cabazon, California. As a New York native, Steven has been inspired by flavors from various cultures including Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and Ireland.

Make It Stick
One of the phenomenal recipes Steven created with us was Miso Seabass Anticuchos. This Andes-inspired dish drew from the “Make it Stick” trend and featured delicious sliced onions and Japanese miso paste – all served on a bed of corn and edamame.

Miso Seabass Anticuchos


Amanda Jackson
This Georgia native has been featured on Food52, Popsugar, and Netflix’s “Cooked With Cannabis,” and is the co-owner of School of Fish Taco Truck. Amanda loves experimenting with a variety of flavors, alongside her specialty – Rural Black American cooking.


The Dark Side of Butter
Amanda’s Brown Butter and Caramelized Onion Mac and Cheese was inspired by one of our favorite FTM flavor trends: The Dark Side of Butter. As FTM notes, brown butter lends a “roasted flavor, toasty aroma, silky mouthfeel, and deep complexity” to its dishes, which is why it’s a top food trend for the year.

Brown Butter and Caramelized Onion Mac and Cheese


Melissa Chickerneo
As Executive Chef for BTS Catering and Events, Melissa is passionate about bringing creative elements into her recipe development. She has prepared meals for astronauts, US Presidents, celebrities, and for several Olympic Games.


Mustard’s Moment
One of Melissa’s innovative recipes that we loved was her Caramelized Onion and Whole-Grain Mustard Compound Butter. Melissa paired this decadent butter with a mouthwatering steak, inspired by the FTM trend: Mustard’s Moment.

Caramelized Onion and Whole-Grain Mustard Compound Butter


Gary Nguyen
Gary grew up in LA and loves traveling all over the world to receive inspiration for his culinary creations. As a private chef, Gary elevates dining experiences to a new level every time by playing with color, plating, flavor, and presentation.


Cider Culture
Gary shone with his take on Pancetta Sweet Potato Hash for the FTM trend category: Cider Culture. This sweet and salty pub-style breakfast featured red onion, tomato, avocado, red cabbage, sweet potato, and pancetta – all topped with a deliciously runny fried egg.

Red onion, tomato, avocado, red cabbage, sweet potato, and pancetta


Other Food Trends We Love for 2023
Along with the four mentioned above, our guest chefs incorporated Gills Onions into a few other FTM 2023 trends during this innovation lab:


True Colors
FTM predicts even more color at the table in 2023, as chefs continue to be inspired by the natural vibrant hues in their repertoire. Ingredients like beets, ube, butterfly pea flower, turmeric, and lavender, will all lend unique pigments to the palate this year.


Asian Breakfast Wakes Up
Skipping breakfast is OUT in 2023, and Asian breakfast is IN! From fried rice bowls to steak and eggs, chefs are breaking out their Asian-inspired recipes bright and early this year. Other ingredients like matcha, red bean, soy sauce, and kimchi are all making their way to the breakfast table as well.


Time for Thai
Thai-fusion cuisine will be showing up all over the map in 2023 as chefs use this flavor category in unique ways. Classic East Asian features like rice noodles, shrimp crackers, tom yum soup, and Thai iced tea combine with Tex-Mex, French cuisine, American dessert, and even cocktails.


Our Commitment to Flavor
At Gills, our commitment to flavor is rooted in a deep love for quality, food service, and farm-fresh ingredients. Whether these chefs were making a cucumber salad or a bahn mi sandwich, Gills Onions played a crucial role in bringing all of these recipes to life. We love working with industry experts in settings like these, and hope to keep inspiring chefs to work their magic — from the back of the kitchen to plated perfection.

Ready to try onions the Gills Way? For more information, contact our sales department.

5 Tips for Getting Children Excited About Veggies

Posted on by Foodmix Marketing

Though their bodies may be small, it’s no secret that children come with large personalities and big opinions. Those opinions can be especially strong when it comes to vegetables. Some kids can’t get enough, and others can’t get far enough away.

So, how do you help growing children not just eat but also enjoy their vegetables? There’s no secret formula, and at the end of the day, kids will be kids. But, there are things you can do to help children add healthy veggies to their diet, grow an appreciation for where their food comes from, and become more willing to try new foods each day.

(As always, we highly recommend onions.)

Learn Where Vegetables Come From

You can spark a child’s interest in vegetables by exploring how those beautiful veggies got onto their plate in the first place. Though you may have bought your produce at the grocery store, that isn’t where it came from. Here are a few ideas:

  • Visit a local farmer, and tour their fields
  • Take a trip to your nearest farmer’s market and chat with the sellers about how they grow their produce
  • Plant a garden with your children. Eating something you have grown together makes the food more exciting.
  • Don’t have room for a garden? Try growing herbs or a small vegetable plant in a window sill or planter box.

Make New Foods Fun

Children love routines, so trying new things can feel daunting and even a bit scary. Make trying new foods an exciting, fun and low-pressure experience. Consider using a few of these strategies:

  • Each time you go to the store, let your child pick one new vegetable to investigate. Plan several ways to prepare it.
  • Select a “new food of the week” that the whole family tries each day.
  • Conduct fun science experiments with healthy foods along with eating them. 
  • Make a “rainbow meal” using vegetables in every color of the rainbow.
  • Explore which vegetables can be delicious additions to smoothies, jellos, jellies, and more.

Delight Them with Dips

A dip can be a great way to encourage snacking on vegetables. Kids love to dip things in sauces, and the flavors of a dip can hide or mellow out the unfamiliar flavors in a new veggie. But, encourage your child to try a variety of dips and sauces. Ranch addiction is real, especially in young people. Introduce other low fat dressings, homemade vinaigrettes, and fun sauces like melted cheese fondue.

Prepare Things Together

There is more than one way to eat a vegetable. Make it a game to see how many different preparations for a veggie you can come up with, and then cook, roast, grill, puree, and chop together with your children. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

  • Use vegetables to make your own stock for soup.
  • Substitute vegetables like zucchini for noodles in pasta or lasagna dishes.
  • Finely chop vegetables to add to breads and pizza crusts.
  • Blend veggies into a smoothie, or juice them in a juicer.
  • Cook up a vegetable omelette.
  • Get creative with your favorite casserole.
  • Experiment with savory oatmeal.

Include Children in Meal Planning

The most important part of teaching children to love vegetables is letting them choose whether or not they will. Create a safe place for children to like what they like and dislike what they dislike. By making it ok not to like something when they try it, your kids will be more likely to keep on trying. If they try, they are bound to find something they enjoy.

Remember, children’s palates are still developing. Try mild flavors like carrots, tomatoes, and lettuce for younger eaters and slowly work your way up to stronger flavors. Include children in your meal planning, and respect their feedback.

Ready to try onions grown “The Gills Way”? Contact our sales department to learn more. 

Nature’s Ninja: How Onions Are Nature’s Most Powerful Vegetable

Posted on by Foodmix Marketing

The age old saying goes, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” We can’t speak for the apple, but we certainly can put in a good word for the onion. 

An onion a day is the perfect way to add a flavorful and nutritious boost to the foods you eat every day. At Gills Onions, we salute the noble onion as nature’s ninja — a hardy, adaptable, and sustainable product that tastes great, too!

What Onions and Ninjas Have in Common

When the National Onion Association introduced the Nature’s Ninja mascot, it was easy to see why ancient martial arts and one of the world’s most ancient foods go together.

Onions are masters of disguise, built to survive even the harshest of elements. From the outside, an onion can seem unassuming, but it packs a powerful punch ready to defeat disease. The hard outer skin and pungent juices of the onion push back bacteria and bugs. Like a ninja, onions are one of the stealthiest food choices. You can easily “sneak” onions into a variety of meals and in a variety of forms. Sliced, diced, pickled, or pureed, onions are always delicious. 

And don’t forget about onions’ staying power. They are one of the most sustainable food choices, used for everything from electric power to animal feed to cleaning your BBQ grill. But one of the best things about the onion — its most powerful skill — is its ability to promote good physical health. 

Onions Are Always a Healthy Choice

Onions are low in sodium, low in calories, and fat free. They contain high amounts of essential nutrients including: 

  • Vitamin C
  • Dietary fiber
  • Folic acid
  • Calcium
  • Iron

Their benefits range from acting as a salve to treating insect stings to being one of the key ingredients in cough syrups. Onions also contain powerful antioxidants that delay oxidative damage in human cells and tissues. These antioxidants also eliminate free radicals in your body and deactivate the harmful effects of chelate metal ions. 

Studies show that onions may reduce the risk of certain diseases including cancer, gastric ulcers, heart disease, cataracts, and osteoporosis. Results from a 2019 Chinese study showed that eating onions could reduce cases of colorectal cancer by 79% when individuals consume 35 pounds of onions (or other allium vegetables like garlic, leeks, and scallions) each year. That may sound like a lot, but currently, the average American consumes about 22 pounds of onions annually. So, there’s not much farther to go. Another study conducted in Puerto Rico found that consuming onions and garlic reduced the risk of breast cancer. 

The University of Wisconsin and University of Wisconsin-Madison are currently researching the use of onions as a blood thinner and platelet inhibitor. Researchers have found that pungent onions spur antiplatelet activities in the body, which could be used to fight conditions caused by platelet aggregation like cardiovascular disease, stroke, and heart attacks. 

The National Onion Association also reports that the organosulfur compounds responsible for the taste and smell of onions can reduce symptoms from diabetes and prevent inflammation from asthma. Including onion in your diet can even lower your cholesterol. 

In short, onions are always a healthy choice!

Working Together to Promote Onion Consumption

Onions are nature’s perfect vegetable. At Gills Onions and throughout the onion industry, we truly believe that statement. We’re excited to share more about how onions can elevate your health and your recipes. 

Look for the Nature’s Ninja mascot from the National Onion Association on social media, and spread the good news of good onions to your friends. 

Ready to try onions grown “The Gills Way”? Contact our sales department to learn more. 

What Makes Onions So Flavorful?

Posted on by Foodmix Marketing

Onions. They are the king of the United Federation of Flavor — the mascot that says to cooks and eaters everywhere, “Welcome to flavor city.” They also pack a potent punch if they aren’t processed correctly (and even when they are). 

What gives these vital veggies their signature tastes and smells? And how can you get the best of their flavor? Let’s dive in.

The Secret to Flavor? Science.

Think about an onion. What does it taste like? What does it smell like? Here’s the thing: Whatever you answered, you’re probably right. 

Onions come in hundreds of varieties. They can be sweet or sour, soft or crisp, tangy or dripping with umami. The intensity of an onion’s smell and flavor also depends on its freshness. If you’ve ever picked an onion fresh out of the soil, you may have been surprised to find it didn’t have a smell. So, what is going on? 

Onions have a unique chemistry with molecules that contain a whole lot of sulphuric compounds. Sulphur is responsible for those pesky tears that pop up anytime you chop an onion, but it is also responsible for flavor and odor. The scientific name for this group of compounds is thiosulfinates. 

But here’s the really interesting thing. A fresh, raw onion doesn’t have these molecules. They form after an onion is damaged, like when you chop, slice, or dice. Cutting an onion breaks up cell structure and releases the molecules. Enzymes come into contact with the molecules and create the thiosulfinates and their characteristically strong smell, all in 30 seconds or less.

How intense the smell and flavor of your onion is depends on its variety, or cultivar, and how much sulfur was in the soil. Spring onions harvested in the early spring tend to be more mild, while storage onions harvested in the late summer and early fall tend to be more pungent.

How Does Cooking Affect Onion Flavor?

How you prepare onions will affect the flavor. Since slicing and dicing releases the odor and flavor, the more finely you chop an onion, the more flavorful it will be. On the other hand, a process like boiling an onion will break down the enzymes that spur the chemical reactions creating a less pungent flavor. 

Different levels of heat can control levels of flavor. Heat spurs a range of chemical reactions that all interact with the fundamental make-up of the onion. The longer the cooking time, the more mild and savory an onion becomes. 

Caramelizing or sauteing onions on low or moderate heat causes a reaction between the sugars and the proteins. The onions turn brown, the sugars come free, and the sulphuric compounds react over and over until the pungent flavor is gone and the sweet sugar flavor remains. 

The Gills Onions Promise

At Gills Onions, we are dedicated to creating onions that stay fresh longer and have the best flavor you can find. From the seeds we grow to the soil we grow them in to the way we slice and dice the onions, to the packaging we use to keep them safe until they arrive in your kitchen, flavor is always top of mind. 

We hope you enjoy them.

Ready to try onions grown “The Gills Way”? Contact our sales department to learn more.