"If/When life gives you onions, make onionade” is a jocular saying that has been printed on many images. “Life gave me onions. Onionade sucks” is another saying that has been printed on many images. The sayings are variations on the popular saying, “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade.”

“When life gives you onions, make ONIONADE!” was posted on the newsgroup misc.forsale on May 2, 1991. “When life gives you onions, make onionade” was posted on the newsgroup rec.video.satellite.tvro on September 23, 1997. “When life gives you onions, make onionade!” was posted on Twitter by Joanmarie on March 24, 2009. “If life gives you onions, make onionade!” was posted on Twitter by Alf Fairweather on February 8, 2010.

“Life gave me onions, Onionade sucks” was posted on Twitter by Shirin on September 22, 2014. “Life gave me onions. Onionade sucks” was posted on Twitter by angel whatt on October 29, 2014. This saying probably originated on an image.

“Life gave me onions.  Onionade tastes terrible.  #seenonateeshirt” was posted on Twitter by Diane Fanning on January 10, 2019. “Life gave me Onions 🧅 Onionade tastes Terrible 🤢😂” was posted on Facebook by Michael Austin on May 22, 2021.


Google Groups: misc.forsale
MIDI box for sale
Lawrence Hughes
May 2, 1991, 9:35:27 AM
(...)
Lawrence E. Hughes | When life gives you onions, make ONIONADE!

Google Groups: rec.video.satellite.tvro
Lamonica is BACK!
Gary Bourgois
Sep 23, 1997, 3:00:00 AM
(...)
When life gives you onions, make onionade.

Twitter
raymond martinez
@boomdoom
Replying to @ambrosiaschild
@notamber sometimes life gives you onions you should make onionade! <3
2:51 PM · Mar 17, 2009·Twitter Web Client

Twitter
Joanmarie
@Joanmarie
When life gives you onions, make onionade!
6:50 PM · Mar 24, 2009·Twitter Web Client

Twitter
practicing theology
@pract
When life gives you onions...make onionade? http://bit.ly/20IpH9
9:08 AM · Oct 12, 2009·Twitter Web Client

Twitter
Keith Marrocco
@kmarrocco
“When life gives you onions, make onionade.” - Grandpa, One Big Happy. http://bit.ly/mI4Ck
8:39 AM · Oct 20, 2009·Twitter Web Client

Twitter
Alf Fairweather
@boredofjam
If life gives you onions, make onionade!
8:06 AM · Feb 8, 2010·Twitter Web Client

Twitter
вα∂νєηтυяσυѕ
@MistriLyn
Life gave me onions.
Now only thing i could possibly make would be onionade. Sucks.
4:42 AM · Sep 18, 2014·Twitter for Android

Twitter
Shirin
@shirrxxx
Life gave me onions,
Onionade sucks.
3:15 PM · Sep 22, 2014·Twitter for iPhone

Twitter
angel whatt
@angelwhatt
Life gave me onions.
Onionade sucks.
6:01 PM · Oct 29, 2014·Twitter Web Client

Twitter
sirlancelot604
@karmahoop
Life gave me onions...onionade sucks.
2:17 PM · Mar 10, 2015·Twitter for iPad

Twitter
The Festimal
@BellaFestiva
Life gave me onions instead of lemons.
Onionade SUCKS.
7:44 PM · Mar 10, 2015·Twitter for Android

Reddit—Highdeas
Posted by u/1will2000will1 June 15, 2016
When life hands you onions, make onionade.

Twitter
9GAG
@9GAG
Life gave me onions. Onionade sucks.
11:30 AM · Dec 1, 2016·Buffer

Reddit—Funny
Posted by u/PleepusPlopus December 30, 2018
Onionade sucks
(An image reads, “WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU ONIONS, MAKE ONIONADE.”—ed.)

Twitter
Diane Fanning
@DianeFanning
Life gave me onions.  Onionade tastes terrible.  #seenonateeshirt
6:25 AM · Jan 10, 2019·Hootsuite Inc.

Reddit—Memes
Posted by u/buffering-neko September 21, 2020
When life gives you onions. Make onionade
(This is also shown on an image.—ed.)

Twitter
Manisha needs positive vibes!
@manisha72617183
Life gave me onions ....
Onionade sucks!
10:32 PM · May 21, 2021·Twitter Web App

Facebook
Michael Austin
May 22, 2021 at 5:18 PM ·
Life gave me Onions 🧅
Onionade tastes Terrible 🤢😂