Vidalia onions are grown in very specific soil areas in Georgia. These areas have very low sulfur content in the soil which prevents certain "hot" tasting characteristics from developing in the onion making them sweet. Maybe your onions were grown in an area with sulfur in the soil. I find that flatter vidalia onions are usually sweeter than the round ones. Try choosing onions grown by a different farmer/location ( info is usually on the bag). And try choosing those flat onions rather than the round ones.....the flatter the better.

Also...Vidalias are a little bit "hot"...not entirely like an apple, and everyone's tastes are different. I know I have put sliced Vidalias, or maui or colorado or Texas sweet etc on a salad....and one of the people I served said they were hot.
Perhaps you are one that tastes hot where other's don't.
Have you ever bought Vidalia onions before?
Linda C

Well, Yes...I've been buying them for decades. In fact, I grew up on onions, especially the sweet ones; Texas Sweet, 1015's, Vidalia...you name it! I've actually not ever experienced the heat that I've been tasting the last couple of years.

I know exactly where the onions are grown, and in fact stopped in Vidalia on my way through Georgia, because I'm such a fan. (I even have the t-shirt as I'm an onion lovin' girl!) It's my personal opinion that they've changed. Or have I? I have allergies now that I didn't used to either!

Actually, I have had the same problem the past few months. In fact, one of the Vidalias I bought was soooo sharp that my husband ( in the next room) complained about the smell from the onion I was chopping. I ended up pitching part of it because it was making my entire freezer reek of onion. This has never happened before with any type of onion. I bag left over chopped onion in heavy vacuum seal bags to use later, I normally can't smell a thing through those bags. Now that I think back, it was one of the rounder rather than flat Vidalias. Most of the flat ones are soft lately.

Joanne

You have to be careful that they are really grown in Vidalia, GA. Lots of stores have onions they claim are Vidalias and they are grown in other soil. They aren't the same.

Beverly, I suspect that is exactly what has happened...my onions aren't the same as they used to be. I know the onion growing area isn't that huge (a matter of acres) where Vidalias are grown. I want real Vidalia onions!

The "Vidalia people" are very careful....every onion has a sticker on it.
My husband knew someone from Bland Farms and he used to trade a 4 pound wheel of blue cheese for 25 pounds of Vidalia onions. They came with directions to store them in panty hose with a knot tied between each onion...then hang the pair of hose in a dark cool well ventilated place. The visual always made me giggle! Imagine stumbling into a lumpy pair of panty hose hanging in the guest bathroom???

Claire to be sure they are Vidalia, you pretty much have to buy them in a bag preprinted Vidalia, Georgia. Some stores have their own Vidalia signs that they put up on a batch of onions which don't mean anything. It's unfortunate, but that's the way it is. Good luck getting some real Vidalias.

Beverly

Claire to be sure they are Vidalia, you pretty much have to buy them in a bag preprinted Vidalia, Georgia. Some stores have their own Vidalia signs that they put up on a batch of onions which don't mean anything. It's unfortunate, but that's the way it is. Good luck getting some real Vidalias.

Beverly

Boy, I feel your pain. I’ve been a fan of Vidalias since visiting the Vidalia Sweet Onion Factory in Georgia They are sweet and even sweeter cooked or grilled BUT stores are misrepresenting the real onion. I have had the same experience as many of you. Onions claiming to be Vidalia and priced as Vidalias are hot and smelly and have no resembalance to the real thing. Shame on you grocers for ruining a good Vidalia’s reputation..