Herbs and Spices: Storage Guide
Prolong
The Shelf Life Of Spices & Herbs By Storing In Airtight Jars & Bottles
How To Tell If Spices &
Herbs Are Good To Use
If you
have no expiry date listed on the package and you’re not sure when you
purchased the seasoning, here are a few tips to help figure out whether or not
your herbs and spices are stale or still good to use:
Look at
the color, is it still rich
and vibrant? Old spices and herbs can lose their color over time. If it looks
old and faded, it probably is.
Crush or
rub the herbs and spices between your fingers. Is the smell strong like it should be? Is it weak or
musty smelling? If the smell has lost its punch, the herb or spice is likely
too old to cook with. If it still smells pretty good (just not as strong as it
should) and you’re in a pinch, simply use more than the recipe calls for
(you’ll need to taste test to determine how much more).
Taste a
bit of the spice or herb, you can
usually pick up on the staleness right away. If there’s no taste to it, it’s
old and not worthwhile to cook with.
Is the
spice clumpy or cakey? Chances
are moisture got into the container and the flavor may be reduced. You can
break apart the clumps and use if the taste is still good.
How Long Can Herbs &
Spices Be Stored
Spices
don’t spoil or go bad, but they do lose strength. Here’s a general guideline
for storing your herbs and spices…
• Whole
Spices & Seeds: 3 to 4
years
• Ground Spices: 2 to 3 years
• Leafy Herbs: 1 to 3 years
• Seasoning Blends: 1 to 2 years
Storage Tips
Keep the
herbs and spices in a cool, dark location. It’s common to see spice racks above the kitchen stove, but the
heat affects the quality of the herbs and spices so this isn’t the best place.
I like to buy herbs and spices in bulk (if I don’t grow them fresh), portion them into small spice bottles for ease of use, then store the
rest in individual ziploc bags (keeping them in their original packaging).
Press out as much of the air as possible, seal the bag closed, then stack them
all in a solid rubbermaid (or tupperware) container (something with a good
fitting lid). I keep this container in the pantry and refill my bottles as
needed.
It’s suggested to refrigerate
spices from the red pepper family (paprika, cayenne and chili powder) to
prolong their flavor and freshness.
Make sure
to keep the herbs and spices dry, don’t use a wet measuring spoon to dip into the bottle and
don’t hold the bottle near steam.
As you buy herbs and spices, try getting into the habit
of labelling the bottles and packaging
with the purchase date–this will help you determine whether or not your
herbs and spices are still good to use or if they’ve gone stale.
Quick Tips
Try
growing your favorite herbs, snip them directly from your kitchen herb pot and you’ll never
get fresher. A few tips: How To Make A One-Pot Indoor Herb Garden and
for preserving herbs, see 10 Easy Ways To Preserve Herbs and How to Dry Herbs With a Microwave.
Dried herbs are stronger than fresh. If a recipe calls for fresh herbs and you
only have dry on hand, a general rule of thumb is to use one-third the
amount asked for in the recipe. For example, 3 TBS fresh would be 1 TBS dried.