Learn how to organize spices — from the best way to store them for longer shelf life to where you should keep them in your kitchen.
Is your spice drawer or cabinet out of control with a hodgepodge of bottles, boxes and bags? Do you even know what you have in there?
Spices don’t go bad in the same way as a box of milk will but they’re some of the priciest ingredients you’ll buy. It’s a good idea to keep them organized so you can use them up and avoid buying more of what you already have.
Here’s a guide for the best way to organize spices.
How To Organize Spices Like A Boss
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Purge Old Spices
While spices don’t really expire, they do lose potency over time. So, gather all the spices in your kitchen and get rid of any that lack strong taste, potent smell and vibrant color. While you’re at it, go ahead and discard ones you never use. You know, the ones you bought to make that curry but never did.
In the future, when you’re stocking up on new spices, get whole ones instead of ground. Whole spices last a lot longer. Think of an apple, for example, a whole one can sit in your kitchen for a week or longer. Cut that same apple, though, and it starts to go bad almost immediately.
The only exceptions to purchasing whole spices would be items like cumin, coriander and cinnamon. These are quite fibrous and tough to grind.
Also, avoid purchasing spices in bulk unless you use a whole lot of them. Ideally, you want to get through the container as fast as possible.
Here’s a general idea of how long spices last.
Where To Store Spices
The best way to store spices is away from heat, light and air. Proper storage will extend the shelf life so pick a spot that’s dark and cool.
Store spices close to where they’ll be used. This could be in a drawer or cabinet next to the stove.
Use spice storage solutions to organize your spices and make them easy to access. In a drawer, a spice drawer organizer is perfect while there are other storage options that will keep your kitchen cabinet organized if you choose to put them there instead.
Original Packaging or Containers?
Most of the time, when you see a photo of neatly organized spice storage, there are rows of matching labelled canisters. But, how realistic is this for the average person to keep up?
The only real advantage to pouring spices into containers is that it looks pretty. I know, I know, it’s what we all want but there are lots of disadvantages to doing this too.
First of all, transferring spices from their original packages to another can be quite time-consuming. Secondly, you can end up spilling some during the process. That’s wasted money right there unless you plan to scoop it into the jar off the countertop.
Thirdly, if the container is too small to hold all of the spice, you end up having to store the extra somewhere. This usually results in the excess being shoved in the back of a cupboard somewhere and forgotten.
Next, you have to spend time labeling each canister. I don’t know about you, but I really don’t want to mix up paprika with chili powder when cooking. They look pretty darn similar.
And finally, those spice jars can be expensive! Think about how many you’ll need to buy.
It’s much easier to leave the spices in their original packaging. Simply purchase all the same brand so the containers are matching if you want to have that look. Brands like McCormick have attractive containers that are already labelled.
Spice Organization Ideas
Decide what’s the best way to organize your spices. You can store them alphabetically so it’s really easy to find what you’re looking for or you can group them according to use.
If you love grilling and have a ton of spices for that, then put those in a bin that you can grab whenever you have a BBQ going on. Try grouping according to cuisine. Store all of your Indian, Thai or Cajun seasonings together.
Now you know how to organize spices in your kitchen, it’s time to get cooking!