by Erik Krause
Some weeks are harder than others to keep up with a good sprouting regimen. I don't have travel-capable sprouting equipment, so if I'm out of town, my sprouts are in the refrigerator or eaten. This does leave a problem on my return -- it will take a couple days to get the sprouts re-started. Other times, there have been types of sprouts that I'm hesitant to try, or where I don't need a large quantity of them. The grocery store is great for both of these situations.
These days, you can get alfalfa, clover, buckwheat, sunflower, spicy mix and other such sprouts almost all the time. Buckwheat and sunflower are VERY convenient since these are usually eaten as a microgreen and not a sprout as much. Growing the plants for 7-10 days before use can be more challenging if you aren't doing it regularly. I find spicy mixes with creatures such as radish, onion and garlic sprouts to be a great store purchase. I don't use them that often, so I really don't need to purchase a large quantity of seed. Also, it was worth the $1.50 or so to try them out prior to spending several days growing them, just in case I didn't care for them. They are quite potent...
One issue that is a bigger concern with store-bought sprouts is cleanliness. There is some risk of contamination by nasty bacteria or molds. Due to the store environment, they may be exposed to harsh living conditions (too hot, too dry or too wet) during shipping and display, and the store environment will promote some contamination. The good news is that those involved in producing and selling these products are aware of the issues and have taken extensive precautions to keep them safe. It is quite likely that home-grown sprouts will be more contaminated due to inexperienced handling. I find that sprouts from the store tend to have picked up odors while there.
I make it a point to treat my new friends with as much care as those which I grew on my own. When I get them home, I give them a good rinse and drain them well. I'll frequently remove them from their little boxes and put them in trays to let them breathe and make sure they aren't staying too moist. I usually store alfalfa and other similar sprouts in the refrigerator since they are mature enough when purchased that further development isn't needed.
Pea, garbanzo and lentil mixes (or similar legume sprout collections) are generally sold when the sprouts have about a quarter inch of root showing. Since I prefer to eat these sprouts when they are a little more developed, I will store them in my sprouting cupboard, caring for them as usual. Then as I use them over the next few days, they proceed to get more developed and tastier. The one possible exception is pea sprouts, which can get rather bitter. I eat them anyhow, but some get pretty unpalatable.
With this sprout source, I pay extra attention for any mold growth or bad smells. There is the occasional bad batch. I had one box recently where I couldn't decide if the odor was normal for that type of sprout, or if the box was too old. They were probably ok, but as the odor made my stomach uncomfortable, I decided not to risk it. I don't like waste, but food poisoning is worse.