• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
An Off Grid Life
  • Off Grid Living
  • Self-Reliance
  • Homesteading
  • Food
  • Homeschooling
  • SHOP
    • Facebook
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Off Grid Living
  • Self-Reliance
  • Homesteading
  • Food
  • Homeschooling
  • SHOP
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Off Grid Living
    • Self-Reliance
    • Homesteading
    • Food
    • Homeschooling
    • SHOP
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×

    Home » Homesteading Off The Grid

    How to Grow Lentil Sprouts

    Published: Feb 11, 2023 · Modified: Mar 14, 2023 by Sarita Harbour · This post may contain affiliate links and Amazon links

    Share!
    TwitterFacebookEmailFlipboard50Pinterest
    50
    SHARES
    Pinterest Hidden Image

    Have you seen the cost of chicken feed lately?!? Not to mention any produce at the grocery store. If you're anything like me, you're always looking for ways to cut costs.

    So I thought I'd share this post on how to grow lentil sprouts.

    This post is about sprouting lentils for your family's lentil recipes as well as for adding to your homemade chicken feed.

    Lentil sprouts in a glass jarPin

    Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

    Why Lentils?

    So I LOVE green lentils, red lentils, and brown lentils too. They're cheap, delicious, and pack a nutrition punch!

    That's why lentils are one of the items we buy in bulk to stock our prepper pantry.

    I often add a cup of lentils to replace beans in our soups and stews. And why I created this turmeric lentil soup recipe.

    And I love the earthy flavor and crunchy texture of lentil sprouts (and bean sprouts too.)

    If you want to reduce the cost of your chicken feed and provide your chickens with an extra burst of nutrients, start sprouting your own healthy legumes and grains like these sprouted lentils.

    They are so easy to grow at home in mason jars. And they store well in the fridge for up to a week once sprouted.

    They're also a great way to provide a nutrient-dense fresh greens, especially throughout the winter, for people and chickens alike.

    Raw lentil sprouts are low in fat and have many nutritional benefits.

    Lentil Sprouts for Chickens

    Lentil sprouts in jarPin

    A cup of sprouts is an excellent source of protein, zinc, magnesium, iron, potassium, b Vitamins, and antioxidants. Adding a few cups; of lentil sprouts to your chicken's weekly diet can help you stick to your homestead budget goals too.

    When you germinate seeds, the nutrient level can be increased by as much as 300% Plus you can get a pound of lentils for around $1, making them an incredibly cheap addition and treat for your little egg producers!

    WARNING: please remember that uncooked or unsprouted lentils can be toxic to your chickens.

    Supplies for Sprouting Lentils

    lentil sprouts in glass jar with eggs in basketPin
    • 16 oz. Mason Jars
    • ½ cup dried lentils
    • Water
    • Mason jar ring
    • Sprouting lid 

    You can purchase sprouting lids online.

    Or you can make your own sprouting lids using mesh or plastic canvas for just pennies.

    Or you can purchase a whole sprouting setup if you don’t already have a big collection of mason jars and sprouting lids.

    How to Grow Lentil Sprouts in a Mason Jar

    Green lentils in a glass jar.Pin

    There are several ways to sprout lentils, depending on the amount of sprouts you want and the supplies you have on hand.

    We've used a wide mouth mason jar without a sprouting lid.

    I used a paper coffee filter instead of a wide mouth mason jar lid. And then held it in place with a rubber band.

    Pour dry lentils into the mason jar.

    Cover completely with clean water and replace the lid.

    Allow your lentils to soak all day or overnight.

    Flip the jar over the sink and allow it to drain, you may need to move it around a bit to different tilts so it can drain properly.

    Sit the jar in a warm spot out of direct sunlight.

    2-3 times a day run cool water over the lentils to rinse them and then drain them well to remove excess water and prevent mold growth during the germination process.

    Once the sprouting jar is full, transfer the jar to the refrigerator, and you can keep them for up to a week.

    How Many Lentil Sprouts?

    Geen lentils sprouting in a Ball wide mouth mason jar.Pin

    You can either half or double the number of lentils.

    Use a wide-mouth mason jar or any other smaller glass jar.

    You could even use a sprouting mat or multiple jars to increase the amount based on the size of your flock or family.

    I recommend sprouting a jar and then starting another one 3 - 4 days later, rotating this way to keep your flock and family in the green, so to speak.

    FAQs on how to grow lentil sprouts

    Top view into a glass 16 ounce Mason jar of sprouting lentilsPin

    Here's a look at the questions we often get on growing tiny sprouts at home.

    How long does the sprouting process take?

    This depends on several things, including the variety of lentils, indoor temperature, time of year, and light. It usually takes us about 4-5 days to sprout fully. However, my daughter says that we once grew sprouts indoors in 2-3 days. But that might have been our mustard seed sprouts...

    Can I sprout the regular lentils I buy from the health food stores?

    Side view of quart Mason Jar with sprouting green lentils on a wooden tablePin

    Yes. We have had success with growing raw sprouts from dry lentils and also from a pack of special sprouting seeds. So give lentils and lentil seeds a try.

    We have had great luck growing kidney beans and growing black beans indoors over the winter, I'm up for trying it. (I'm also going to give mung beans a try although Dan says he won't eat them.)

    What happens if I forget to rinse the sprouts?

    You could end up with moldy sprouts. Check them carefully, rinse them thoroughly with cold water.

    I don't have a sprouting lid or a quart jar. What should I do?

    How to Grow Lentil Sprouts for ChickensPin

    No problem. Use any clean glass jar. Then you can use a damp paper towel or paper coffee filter and rubber band instead of the lid. You could even use cheesecloth, but the key is good air circulation.

    I found that the coffee filter gave better results. Maybe it had better air circulation.

    How should I store my sprouts?

    We use a plastic container with air holes -I think it had store-bought berries in it at one time. Otherwise, I found the sprouts get pretty moldy.

    Like this post? Save it for later!

    How to grow lentil sprouts in jars text overlay on image of glass mason jar full of lentil sprouts on a stack of books.Pin
    Share!
    TwitterFacebookEmailFlipboard50Pinterest
    50
    SHARES
    « Gardening Off The Grid
    How to Make Sourdough Starter Without Yeast »

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Dan Hosfeld and Sarita Harbour of An Off Grid Life

    Hi, I'm Sarita! My family and I started living off the grid nine years ago. And if I did it, you can too!

    Learn more here →

    Popular

    • Sourdough Discard Biscuits on Plate
      Old-Fashioned Easy Sourdough Discard Biscuits Recipe
    • Gardeners Soap wrapped in twine.
      Easy Natural DIY Gardeners Soap Recipe
    • Sourdough Discard Crackers in jar.
      Sourdough Discard Crackers
    • Beeswax wrap covering bowl
      How to Use Beeswax Wraps

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    Privacy Policy

    • Privacy Policy
    • Disclosure
    • Terms & Conditions

      Newsletter

    • Sign Up Here

    Contact

    • Contact
    • Media Kit
    • FAQ

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Harbour Content Development Inc.