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How long should I keep dried spices?
Check online and follow your nose to see if you should toss that jar of oregano.
Mon, Mar 21 2011 at 10:33 AM
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Q: I’m gearing up for my first big spring cleaning session with my sights set on an area I’ve been avoiding: the spice cabinet. My teenage son has started to call me the “spice hoarder,” and my husband won’t even get near the cabinet. (I don’t blame him … the cabinet is a mess and even I have trouble navigating it.)The thing is, I’ve never known when it’s appropriate to throw spices away. I have never been clear on the shelf life, so I keep ‘em around. Have any clue as to when is a good time to chuck them? A. Growing up, I recall the spice cabinet (which also doubled as the frosting and sprinkle storage area) in my own home as, well, overwhelming. I’m pretty sure there were a couple bottles of something or other in there that were certified antiques, pre-dating the Carter administration. And that ground allspice? I think the sell-by date was 40 A.D.
The shelf life of spices vary, and you never really need to worry about them going “bad” like other foods do. For example, a bottle of curry powder that’s been around a questionable amount of time probably won’t make you sick … it will just be less potent. Many folks abide by a “six-month rule” when it comes to discarding most spices. Seems a bit short to me. I certainly can’t afford to replace all of mine twice a year. The folks at McCormick offer “to toss or not to toss” guidelines that are more generous:
- Ground spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, turmeric): 2 to 3 years
- Herbs (basil, oregano, parsley): 1 to 3 years
- Seasoning blends: 1 to 2 years
- Whole spices (cloves, peppercorns, cinnamon sticks): 4 years
- Seeds: 4 years (except for poppy and sesame seeds, which should be discarded after 2 years)
- Extracts: 4 years (except for vanilla, which will last forever)
Pretty straightforward, eh? Sure, but unless you keep some kind of “purchased on…” checklist inside of your cabinet it’s probably hard to keep track of how long each and every spice has been kicking around. Some spice companies like McCormick do include “best by” dates on the bottles while others don’t. The many Fairway brand spices that I own aren’t so transparent when it comes to their shelf life. In fact, I was just eying an almost-empty container of dried parsley that I’m pretty sure has been living on my spice shelf for four-plus years.
To ensure that your spices are living up to their potent potential, in addition to a “best by” date, McCormick even has a “Fresh Taster” feature on its website where you can plug in a code found on the bottom of each McCormick spice bottle to verify its age and TOSS (Toss Old Spices Seasonally) accordingly. And as McCormick notes, if a certain bottle of spice originates from Baltimore, it’s at least 15 years old, and if you have Schilling brand spices, they’re at least seven years old.
If you don’t buy McCormick brand spices, there are a couple of things you can do to see if a spice is still good. For starters, simply pour out a little and observe its color. If the vibrant color has faded, then usually so has the flavor. Over this past summer, I encountered grayish-brown, not red, paprika at a friend’s house and remember being wary. Sure enough, it tasted like “paprika light” and was definitely not worth using. In addition to the color test, you can perform a sniff test as well. If a spice is no longer fragrant, it’s probably best to replace it. If a spice has some fragrance left but is far less potent than it used to be, just double the amount called for in a recipe.
Also, remember to keep spices, whether of the ground or whole variety, in a cool, dry place away from your stove with their lids securely fastened so that they keep as long as possible. And don’t feel guilty if you have to toss and replace a spice. It won’t do any good taking up real estate in that congested spice cabinet of yours. If a spice is really old, you may not want to throw the packaging away. Many folks collect antique spice bottles and tins, so you may have luck pawning it off at a local antiques store or selling it at your next garage sale.
It may be wise to buy spices in bulk (in small or larger quantities) to save a few bucks, cut back on packaging waste, but you will have to face the “I only use cloves once a year but have a giant bottle” dilemma.
Not all grocery stores sell herbs and spices in bulk, but it’s worth looking into. Depending on the household usage of a certain spice, you can buy as much or as little as needed so that little goes to waste. Is your house cumin crazy? Then by all means stock up and store the spice in a cute little reusable glass jar. Need mustard seed for a recipe but don’t think you’ll use it again? Buy just a few tablespoons in bulk instead of an entire bottle that costs upwards of $5 (spices aren’t cheap). I’ve started doing this with garlic powder. I found that I was using it frequently so I stopped by a local Middle Eastern grocery and purchased some in bulk — more than what I’d been getting in an average bottle — for a much lower price.
Good luck with the spice cabinet clean-out project. I hope that after this you’ll no longer warrant the “spice hoarder” tag. And remember to consider buying in bulk in the future to save money and curb your spice-related waste stream.
—Matt
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Excellent. I was just cleaning out my spices and I had a lot of "expired" ones, I agree that the color test is very useful as the ones that changed colors lost a lot of the flavor. McCormicks has a good list of suggestions, I also found this site with a HUGE table of how long you can use the spices past its printed date http://www.eatbydate.com/other/spices/how-long-do-spices-last/
Ever since switching over to Penzey's Spice, I no longer have herbs and spices lasting longer than 6 months. They are so good and fresh, and best of all, inexpensive, I use everything up right away. It's made my meals taste so much better. The plus is that it is cheaper to buy their bulk spices and put them into my own jars.
just checked my spices and yuck! I found a bottle of whole cloves that was so old it changed the color of the bottle red. I guess I need to do a good cleaning of the spice closet. Good article.
Of course McCormick wants you to throw out your spices and buy new. Moolah, moolah, moolah!
I use Dry Spice--- a product that helps preserve spices for a long time and also breaks up clumps... it's a drying agent in little canisters (the same agent you find in pharmaceutical bottles) so it won't touch foods. Really good stuff!
wow, I am pleasantly surprised that I can keep my little bottles around longer
- for bulk spices is Atlantic Spice company (atlanticspice.com). They sell both small jars and large bags. I'll buy the big bag for things I use a lot of (paprika is only about $6.50 for a POUND). I found them while I was on vacation in Cape Cod. Great place to browse. They also sell ingredients for potpourri, and my cats appreciate the large bag of catnip I got them ($3 for 8 ounces).
Take them to the spice aisle, and point out the price per pound vs the price per pound of anything else in the store. The price of spices can be over $1,000 per lb - this is why some explorers travelled the world in the old days.
Dried spices at your local Farmer's Market will generally cost you a small fraction of the price you find on them in the supermarket - for a MUCH larger quanitity.
Penzey's is great for small quantities, but I've found a great resource for home users that use more than you can buy at the grocery or Sam's: www.internationalspices.com/store. They are geared towards restaurants/industrial, but if you cook a LOT like me, they are definitely worth a look.
I just started getting serious about cooking so I will check them out also, Thanks!
I just finished a bottle of dill that had an expiration date of 1994.
I just finished a bottle of dill that had an expiration date of 1994.
I have 50+ spices in my spice cabinet. I don't worry about them getting old as I have to replace them somewhat often. But I cook like a fool so I don't have to worry about about any getting old.
This was a good article.
He who controls the spice, controls the universe! And what Piter did not tell you is --
Oh wait, never mind.
The best place to get spices is not the grocery store but Penzeys Spices. Who knows how long they've been on the grocery shelf. Penzeys is fresh. If you don't have a store near you, they have a website. penzeys.com they are cheaper than the grocery store too.
I had to move away from Kansas City that had a Penzeys store so am so glad to still be able to access them.
Thanks for the link! I am going shopping as some of our spices, sad to say, are really old.
I agree with this comment. If you get a chance, visit one of their stores. It is an experience you will enjoy. They have the spices in all sizes for you and some of their home blends, like 'Old World Seasoning', are exquisite!
I buy spices from Penzeys several times a year. I stock up on all of the spices I may need rather than buying one at a time. The difference in qulaity vs the regular grocery store is stunning. If you need something right away, I would recommend an Indian specialty store. Indian stores are basically spice stores since many spices are grown in India. The stores are also good places to buy rice.
I also found that going to actual ethnic stores they are not only tastier but cheaper!
In a cave near Qumran, Israel. An archaeological expedition found 11 spice ingrediants that still tasted fresh after beingburied for nearly two millennium. (1,926-1,930 yrs). CNN covered the story in May 1992.
There is more to taste than "potency". If a spice doesnt taste fresh, then its old.
I always keep a sharpee pen to date new purchases right on the box with the date I brought it home. cake mixes, crackers, and any items that go on the shelf. Beats reading the small print if you can decode or even find it.
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