❓Question. Have dug far deeper into the spice cabinet. There are truly ancient things here. I threw away things with expiration dates. Are some spices fine for years as long as they're sealed and dry?
@kay_dub I will jettison a lot then. There are many I'll probably never have need for. Like the dill seed mom used when canning pickles.
@poemblaze I've also started buying smaller containers of spices, so I'll replenish more frequently.
@kay_dub My parents bought things in bulk. I need to buy small containers like you. It's tempting to buy larger amounts because they're cheaper per ounce.
@kay_dub I recently bought a larger container of chipotle chili powder. I do expect to use more of that.
@poemblaze I do that with garlic and chili powder. Use both all the time. The big ones only last me 3-4 months
@kay_dub Thank you!
@poemblaze Most brands will have a resource for checking the spices for how long they should be good. I write on any containers the date I buy them new. I am bad about stuff siting in my spice rack of things I don't use often or just bought for a specific recipe.
@NMWoman Thanks. These are from my parents who died 8 and 10 years ago. Eeek.
@poemblaze Oh. Yeah. I would imagine those need to go. I googled McCormick spice shelf life. The site I have used instructs you to use the bar code numbers to determine the age of the product.The general google inquiry for shelf life is about 4 years for most.
@NMWoman Thanks. Burial at dumpster.
@poemblaze Ha! My mother was a sale canned food buyer. When she moved from her house to my sister's house when she was unable to care for herself, she had cans of stuff that had the best use by date of 5 years previously.
@NMWoman I've found things lurking here from 20-30 years ago.
@NMWoman You retired in 505? Is that A.D. or B.C.? 😁
@poemblaze You funny! I am old, but pretty sure neither of those match. 505 is Albuquerque, NM.area code. It is kind of a nickname thing here. Living in the 505.
@NMWoman Ah. People from St Louis sometimes say they live in the Lou. But there's definitely a homophone problem there.
@poemblaze ABQ has a lot of regional nicknames. Duke City, Burque, 505, Albuquirky are a few. I picked that so other NM people could find me easier for local community.
@NMWoman Makes sense
@NMWoman It's also where Bugs Bunny always made a wrong turn.
@poemblaze All the advice I've seen from actual chefs is, after a year, spices should be replaced.
But, truth be told, for spices that are rarely used, I'll give them a taste when I see something I'm making calls for it, and if it's tasteless, I might still use it, then toss.
I do have some dried spices vacuum sealed and in the freezer. I do that with bay leaves sometimes. They have decent flavor for over a year that way.