They are usually pickled and used as a garnish and in cocktails. Small white onions that are picked when between 25 and 38 mm in diameter are used to flavour foods having fairly delicate taste, such as omelets and other egg dishes, sauces, and peas. They are also served boiled or baked. Green onions, also called scallions and spring onions, are young onions harvested when their tops are green and the underdeveloped bulbs are 13 mm or less in diameter. Their flavour is mild, and the entire onion, including top, stem, and bulb, is used raw in salads and sauces, as a garnish, and also as a seasoning for prepared dishes.
Onions are low in nutrients but are valued for their flavour.
Most whole onions are slightly dried before marketing, making their skins dry and paper-thin. Leading world producers of dry onions include China, India, the United States, Russia, Japan, and Turkey. Spain is the leading European producer. Onions are also available in various processed forms. Boiled and pickled onions are packed in cans or jars.