Product Review: The Jar Sprouter

In an attempt to eat healthier, I usually take a trip to the natural foods store at least once a month. There, I buy some organic produce for my birds as a treat (they get regular or farmer's market produce at other times), and maybe some trail mix or organic grains with which to cook. I also haunt the herb aisle, which in my natural foods store (New City Market in Des Moines, Iowa), also houses their bulk foods, medicines, and some interesting healthy products. One of which, was "The Jar Seed Sprouter" by Sprout-Ease.

There has been a lot of talk in the avian community lately about sprouting. I, along with many others, have always enjoyed alfalfa sprouts on my salads, and occasionally purchased them in the grocery store. With concern about pesticides and organic foods, I've always thought how nice it would be to sprout them at home; however, until I read The Kitchen Physician IX: Sprouting For Healthier Birds, I had never thought of my birds as enjoying sprouts. Once I read this article, I saw the importance sprouts played in the health of my birds and vowed that someday I would have a sprouter, which brings me back to that natural foods store.

Sprouters come in many different varities. They range in price from a few dollars to almost a hundred, and size from the jar which I purchased, to ones the size of dehydrators. As with all things, the trick is to find one that works for you.

Personally, I love my "The Jar." Its price was right, well under $10, and the mason jar format was one with which I was comfortable. The basic concept is that you add seeds and water to the jar, soak them over night, then prop the jar at an angle and rinse twice a day. After 4-5 days, you will have organic sprouts that you can eat.

This is the basic process for alfalfa seeds. I purchased my seeds at the same store that I bought the sprouter. Sprout-Ease also sells their own seeds and seed mixes. You put 1 TB of seeds in the jar and cover with 4 TB of water. You let it soak for a few hours or overnight. Drain the water. Then, twice a day for four to five days, rinse the sprouts by filling the jar with water, swirling and draining. Between rinses, you keep the jar propped on its lid in your dish drainer. That's it!

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