A well-stocked spice pantry is essential for home-cooked meals. It gives you flexibility when it comes to cooking because you have everything on hand that you might see in a recipe. Buying spices in bulk is a great way to save money on groceries because you are able to get them at a significantly lower cost than buying them in small quantities.
Let's Talk Spices You Use
What spices do you use most often? Are you a big baker? Or are you a big griller?
Do you use different spices during different times of the year?
Stocking something you donāt use is a waste of money. Before you go shopping for spices you should consider what you and your family use. Each house is going to use different spices and different amounts of each spice. The goal is to stock what you use and not waste money on things you donāt need or use.
Stocking Your Pantry
There are 20 spices that I keep on hand in bulk in my pantry. I store more of them in glass containers that are a half gallon or a quart (which holds about 1lb.). You can use a vacuum sealer on the wide mouth jar to extend the life of the herbs. In this video I talk about how I vacuum seal items to ensure freshness.
Here is a list of spices I keep in bulk. There are items I cook with on a regular basis. I have found it easier to make home made meals when I have the spices I need on hand.
- Basil
- Black pepper
- Cayenne pepper
- Chili powder
- Cinnamon
- Coriander
- Dill weed
- Garlic powder
- Italian seasoning
- Mustard (ground)
- Nutmeg
- Onion
- Oregano
- Paprika
- Pink Himalayan salt
- Red chili flakes
- Thyme
- Cloves
- Cumin
- Garlic & herb
My spice drawer in the kitchen has 48 jars, but I only keep 20 in larger quantities in my pantry. Here is a video that explains a little more about the ones that I choose to keep extras of.
How Much Spice Do I Buy?
In order to determine how much extra of a spice you should keep on hand, consider how often you are using it. If it is something like cinnamon that you are using daily in your oatmeal or weekly in baked goods, it's a good idea to have a larger amount on hand. If it is something that is only used in a few recipes, keeping more than fits in the small jar might not be needed.
Most families have a few recipes that are their āgo-to recipesā. Consider what those are in your home and make sure you have all of those ingredients stocked in your pantry.
How Long Do Spices Stay Fresh?
Spices are normally at their peak freshness within the first two to three years of purchasing.Ā This is a general rule except for Himalayan salt; that lasts forever. It may be better to buy smaller amounts until you get the feel for how much you really use in your meal prep and baking.
At my house I make all my own spice blends. I make them from single ingredients because we have allergies and I can avoid all the fillers and unnecessary ingredients when I make my own. Quite a few seasonings have gluten added to them.
Taco or Mexican Blend Seasoning
- 2T. Garlic Powder
- 2 T. Ground CuminĀ
- 2 T. Chili Powder
- 1 T. Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp. Oregano
- 1 tsp. Salt
- 1 tsp. Pepper
Shopping For Spices
If you're ready to shop for spices and know which ones you need, Target has a line of organic seasonings called āOrganic Good and Gatherā.Ā I checked prices recently and was impressed with their prices as well as the selection.
Amazon is also a convenient option if you prefer shopping online. You can check out my store for some options and spices that I have purchased. I prefer to purchase my spices from Amazon where I buy most of them in the 1lb bags, which fits well in a quart sized jar. On Amazon it is easy to compare the price per ounce and find the best deal. I am able to find certified organic non-GMO single ingredient item spices with no fillers. In addition to the great selection, the delivery options simplify life.
Costco is great place to buy larger quantities of spices. You should also check is your local supermarket bulk foods section.
Pantry Tour
If you want to learn more about other items that I keep in my pantry, check our my pantry essentials list in this blog post and here is a Pantry Tour from my old house. A new one will be posted once we get the pantry set up in our new home.
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