Tips to prevent burning eyes when cutting onions

Below are a number of different tips to prevent irritated, watery eyes when chopping onions. Try them all out and choose the one that works best for you!

• Refrigerate the onion to cool the gases that make your eyes water - this causes them to move down towards the floor instead of up towards your eyes.
• Peel onions outside so the wind blows away the fumes.
• Try an old wives tale - hold a teaspoon between your teeth.
• Take a sip of cold water and hold it in your mouth while chopping! This really works. If you need to swallow, take a step back from the onion and take another sip and hold it while you continue chopping.
• Breathe through your mouth not your nose.
• Hold a piece of cardboard between your lips.
• Remove the skin of the onion and cut off the ends, then pierce the skin of the onion with a toothpick or a small fork in several places. Place in a paper towel and put in the microwave for a little less than a minute. Be careful you don't burn yourself. Chop the onion as much as you like - no tears!
• Light a scented candle in the kitchen. The candle draws the onion gas towards the candle and away from your eyes. The candle should be close enough to catch the gases that the onion releases.