Have you ever wondered how you can manage your cooking without spices? Without spices, food would lose much of its character! Spices are an essential ingredient in both savory and sweet dishes, and they are truly what bring life to any meal. Opening your spice cabinet is like opening a world of flavors and legends. Whether it’s a basic spice like ground cinnamon or something more unique like Aleppo pepper, dried herbs and spices are the key to bold, exciting flavors in your dishes.
That’s why it’s crucial to handle dried herbs and spices correctly. If stored improperly, they will lose their potency and will no longer fulfill their role in providing rich flavor. Fortunately, storing spices the right way and keeping them fresh is easy. Here’s everything you need to know about how to store dried herbs and spices properly.
Best Places to Store Spices
The best place to store dried herbs and spices is in an airtight container in a cool, dark, and dry spot, such as a pantry, drawer, or cabinet. Keep in mind that air, light, moisture, and heat are the four factors that cause spices to lose their aroma and flavor quickly. If you can keep these elements away from your spices, you will preserve their freshness and give them a longer shelf life.
It’s also wise to purchase and store spices in small quantities. Unless you use dried herbs or spices in large amounts, buying them in a large jar or bulk means you might not use them before they begin to lose their flavor.
Worst Places to Store Spices
While it may seem convenient to store herbs and spices next to the stove or oven—where they are close at hand for cooking—unfortunately, this is one of the worst places to store them. Exposure to heat causes spices to lose their fragrance and flavor prematurely. Therefore, it’s best to keep them away from the stove and oven.
Don't forget that the inside of drawers near the oven can also get hot when the oven is in use, and the inside of drawers near a dishwasher can get warm when it's running.
Light also damages spices, so countertops or windowsills in a sunny kitchen are another poor place to store them. This is especially true if the spices are kept in glass or clear plastic jars that allow light to enter easily.
Lastly, while storing dried herbs and spices in the fridge or freezer might seem like a good idea for preservation, both are environments with high humidity. The moisture can cause spices to deteriorate quickly, leading to clumping. For this reason, it's best to store them in a dry environment.
What is the Average Shelf Life of Spices?
If you can’t remember the last time you bought a new jar of chili powder or there’s dust accumulating on the outside of your Italian seasoning jar, it’s probably time to replace them.
Dried herbs and ground spices will stay fresh and flavorful for about 6 months after purchase, while whole spices can last up to 1-2 years. Of course, this depends on how well you store them in airtight containers in a cool, dark, and dry place.
It’s also important to consider where you purchase your spices. Spice stores are great for buying, as they tend to stock their items at peak freshness, and they sell out quickly. Grocery store jars, on the other hand, can sit on shelves for much longer, which means they may not be as fresh when you bring them home. This means they might lose their fragrance and flavor even before you use them.
Buying dried herbs and spices in small amounts rather than large jars or bulk is a great way to manage their short shelf life. Spice stores often sell products in small quantities, like ½ cup or ¼ cup portions, so you can use them before they spoil, and you won’t have to worry about throwing away expired spices.
Preferred Spice Storage Containers and How to Organize Them
There are many types of spice storage containers, but we believe that simpler is better. Gather all your mismatched bottles and jars and invest in small, airtight containers that prevent air from getting in. This way, you only need to buy small quantities of spices to fill each container.
Some containers have clear glass or plastic elements that allow light to enter, but you can still store these in a dark drawer, so there's no need to worry about that. Arrange your spice jars in rows in a dedicated spice drawer in your kitchen, making sure they’re far enough from the stove and oven but still in an accessible spot for easy use during preparation. Label the jars or containers so you can quickly find what you need.
By following these storage tips, you’ll ensure that your dried herbs and spices remain fresh, flavorful, and ready to enhance your meals!
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