Grow Your Own Alfalfa Sprouts

We got these instructions to grow Alfalfa Sprouts from my daughter’s teacher years ago when she was in the 4th grade.  It was meant to be an at home experiment to teach them about seed germination, but it was so fun, we continued to make the sprouts to eat.  We like to use them on sandwiches and salads.  They are so fresh and so much cheaper than buying them in the produce section of the grocery store.

When you purchase the Alfalfa Seeds, make sure they are intended for sprouting at home. Seeds bought in bulk may be intended for pastures & might contain pesticides or other chemicals.

Measure 2 Tablespoons of the seeds and place in a quart size jar. Fill jar halfway with water and place a piece of netting over the top and secure with the jar ring or a rubber band.

Soak the seeds in water for about 4- 8 hours.

Dump out the water and invert the jar into a bowl that will hold the jar (to allow the seeds to drain thoroughly.)

You will see the seeds beginning to sprout usually the next day.  After 2 days, they will start to look like the photo above.  Rinse and drain the seeds 2 times a day until sprouts are about 1” long (usually takes about 3 days.) The quart jar will be completely full of sprouts!

Put a lid on the jar and store in refrigerator and use within about 3 days.

Sprouts are sooooo good on sandwiches. They are good for you too!  They are full of vitamin C, folate and fiber.

A small 1 lb. bag of alfalfa seeds for sprouting are available on Amazon.com. One pound of Alfalfa Seeds will yield jars and jars of sprouts.  (Remember, you only need 2 Tablespoons of seeds for a quart size jar!) A pint size cup of sprouts, like you buy in the produce section of the grocery store, will cost about $2.00 or more.

Try these – they’re fun!  Get the kids involved!