A short review video showing off my latest sprouting batch using a set of my favorite mason jar sprouting lids.
Watch The Masontops Mason Jar Sprouting Lids Video Review
What Is Sprouting?
Seed and bean sprouting is just allowing nature to do its thing only in a somewhat controlled environment. Rather than the seeds germinating in the dirt, we’re keeping them just moist enough to start growing without the ground.
It’s not quite hydroponics, but it has the same concept. Kind of. We’re taking the sprouts well before they develop into a full plant.
Where Does Sprouting Seed Fit Into Survival?
Knowledge can save our lives, right? With a nice amount of stored seeds and beans, and the knowledge to sprout them with little resources, we can quickly grow a little life-sustaining food in a matter of days – without the need for electricity if you have warmth and sun.
Is Eating Sprouts Healthy?
While we all nose eyez smaut, I ain’t no health expert. So let me just paraphrase Dr. Josh Axe and you can watch his YouTube video for more if you like.
Dr. Axe, are sprouted grains healthy?
“Sometimes and in moderation.
There are three reasons sprouted grains are better than regular grains:
1) Phytic acid is in regular grains, which is an enzyme inhibitor. (If you soak the grains, the sprouted grains unlock the nutrients that your body can absorb.)
2) Gluten in protein becomes more digestible.
3) Regular grains are high in carbohydrates, specifically a type of carbohydrate called amylopectin. Amylopectin affects blood sugar levels and can increase your risk of diabetes.
Overall, sprouted grains are the better option, but it’s still not perfect or what I would consider a healing food.” ~ Dr. Josh Axe
There you go. It’s not the best low-carb solution, but it’s healthy and very digestible.
How Do You Eat Your Sprouts?
Generally, I’ll throw a bunch into my salad. Sprouts add taste and a bunch of vitimans to that otherwise boring dish.
Sometimes I’ll put a layer of sprouts on a sandwich. I don’t do this very often anymore because I’m trying to keep my carbs down. The sprouts are already a tiny cheat to my low-carb diet, but bread? Bread will set me back a bit.
I’ll also mix sprouts with some nuts and put them into a Ziploc bag for an in between snack at work. This is a healthy solution to keep that urge to cheat down.
Finally, and my favorite way to eat my home-grown sprouts is in soup. Most people know by now that I generally make a huge stock pot of soup over the weekend for lunch the rest of the week. A handful of fresh sprouts into a bowl or cup of soup is pretty nice.
BTW, fresh sprouts will last about three to five days in the fridge as long as you keep them nice and dry. Some folks like to dehydrate their sprouts, but I haven’t tried that yet. But I will eventually.
Related: Dehydrating Green Onions – From Our Garden To The Prepper Pantry – Video
Tip: Add the sprouts just before you eat the soup. I keep mine in my work lunch pail inside a Ziploc bag. I pour a cup of my homemade soup from a thermos and drop a small handful of sprouts into the hot soup.
Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.
John Muir
Why Mason Jar Sprouting?
Well, for one thing, I have a bunch of them and most people have a few lying around.
Do You Need Store-Bought Mason Jar Sprouting Lids?
Absolutely not. I started out with squares of window screen and rubber bands around my Mason jars. There are some old window screens up in the garage rafters and I just re-purposed/sacrificed one of those.
I do prefer these over my old method, but that’s only because these lids have me a little spoiled. For one thing, the Masontops Mason jar sprouting lids have a nice little lip on the end that keeps the rim of the jar off the tray.
Tip: Use a tray of some kind to keep the dripping water contained.
Second, the Masontops Mason jar sprouting lids are designed to stay on the jars through the sprouting process – until they’re ready to eat.
Third, they’re just stupid cheap and well worth the cost in my opinion.
How Do I Sprout Seeds In A Mason Jar?
Well, I’m glad you asked. First, I want to clarify that I sprout these seeds for eating, not growing. Although, technically, I am growing them – just eating them before they mature.
- First, I soak about a tablespoon of sprouting seeds (See below) in the bottom of a Mason jar with just a little water. Just about an inch over the top of the seeds.
- Keep the jars in a dark place or place a dark paper bag over them to keep the light out.
- Soak the sprouting seeds for a day, up to a couple of days, in a dark place.
- Next, gently fill the jar to rinse the seeds.
- Then drain the water immediately after the rinse and place the jar upside down to allow water drainage.
- Once a day, fill the jars with room temperature water and then drain the water back out.
- Place the jars inverted (Upside down) onto your protective try and cover with your bags again if you’re not using a dark room.
- Repeat the fill and drain process once a day until your jar is full of tasty and healthy sprouts to eat. Sometimes, depending on the moisture level, I’ll fill and drain twice a day. I have plastic covered indoor garden racks that keep the moisture level pretty high.
Tip: For greener looking sprouts, expose them to the sun or grow lights on the very last day.
My Sprout Seed Source – The Sprout House Store
I’ve used all sorts of seeds for sprouting, trying different things, but my favorite sprouting seed resource is The Sprout House Store on Amazon (Paid link). Specifically, their Assorted Organic Sprouting Seeds Mixes Sample Pack of 12 (Paid Link).
You get a HUGE amount of seeds, all professionally packed in labeled and resealable bags and I have never had a failed batch. Some of these are two or three years old and they still keep producing.
Thanks for watching and reading, Hawkins out.
