Chives

Choose chives with bright green, firm, upright stems with no yellowing, wilting, or sliminess. Avoid bunches with hollow-looking or collapsed stems. Fresh chives should smell mildly of onion when rubbed.

Wrap loosely in a damp paper towel and refrigerate in a zip bag for up to 2 weeks. Alternatively, stand them upright in a glass of water on the counter for a few days. Can be frozen (snipped) for up to 6 months.

Best used raw or added at the very last moment. Use as a garnish on soups, eggs, potatoes, salads, and dips. Blend into compound butters, cream cheese, or sour cream. Chive blossoms (the purple flowers) are edible and make beautiful salad garnishes.

Low in calories, chives are a good source of vitamins K, C, and A, plus folate and choline. They contain quercetin and other antioxidants that support cardiovascular health. Like all alliums, they contain organosulfur compounds with antimicrobial properties.

Chive blossoms are edible — steep them in white wine vinegar to make a beautiful pink-purple chive blossom vinegar. Chives are one of the classic 'fines herbes' of French cuisine alongside parsley, tarragon, and chervil. They're also one of the easiest herbs to grow in a windowsill pot.

Chives are a perennial plant that regrows after cutting, making them one of the most sustainable herbs you can grow. They require minimal water and no pesticides in home gardens, and their flowers attract pollinators.