A Pinch of This, A Pinch of That, A Pinch of Pennies

Did you know that spices supposedly last only about six months? Some might be okay after a year. But do we even know how long the new spices we buy have been sitting on the shelf before we bought them?

I have to admit, I'm pretty sure I have a jar of Italian Seasoning circa 2002. I'm pretty sure because we bought that spice rack when Keith and I got married. Yikes. We have long needed to revamp our spice rack. We obviously had some pretty old and faded spices that have been sitting around for way too long, unloved and unsavored.

Today was grocery day, so we decided to update the ol' spice rack. I made such a killer deal purchasing new spices at the Market that I have to share.
Thing is, you don't have to shop at the Market to save $$$ on spices. As long as you know where to get some good bulk spices, you're in for a satisfying spice bargain. All you need are some old spice jars. You might as well bring in your own spice jars to the store, rather than use a million little baggies to load up. You'd preferably be transferring the spices to jars at home anyway, right? Those little baggies really mess up a cupboard and it's not easy to find what you need when the bag is slumped behind and under the honey bear or, even grosser, stuck TO the honey bear. (Why do honey bears always leak honey? That's a question for another time.)

Keith and I emptied and cleaned out all of our old spice jars and hauled them to the store with us. We immediately got in line and asked the clerk to tare one of the jars so that we knew the weight of what should be reduced at the time of check-out. Most clerks don't mind doing this, but if they do give you an eye-roll, you should find a friendlier clerk or go to a different store.

After we made note of the weight of the jars, we went to the bulk spice section and loaded up with everything we needed. Jars of spice can typically be pretty pricey (about $4-$6 each), especially the organic variety, but we walked away with ten full jars of various spices for only four cents over five dollars. That's right. Ten jars for $5.04. Roughly 50 cents a jar. Fresh and beautiful spices, half of which were organic.



Here's the cost breakdown:

Organic Dill Weed - $0.26
Organic Thyme - $1.23
Organic Oregano - $0.52
Organic Hot Chili Powder - $1.37
Organic Parsley Flakes - $0.14
Sweet Basil - $0.11
Paprika - $0.54
Curry Powder $0.28
Whole Coriander - $0.43
Whole Rosemary - $0.16

Has anyone ever paid so little for spices? Maybe not since the 50's. At these prices, we should be able to afford to revamp our spice rack every 6-months, no sweat! Next time I need to restock my spice jars, I might try Penzey's . Mom raves about the quality of their spices, and I'm lucky enough to live within 10 miles of one, while she has to mail-order hers.

No matter where you shop for spices, I hope these little tips will help you save a few bucks! Start the new year with fresh herbs and spices in your cupboards. And you can save even more $$$ eating at home with all those lovely herbs and spices to pinch and dash with.