Curious how long your seasonings will stay fresh?
Here is all you’ll need to know.
Spices, Herbs, and Seasonings will stay fresh longer depending on conditions at which they are stored. None of them spoil but, they do lose their potency and intended flavoring over time regardless of storage conditions. As a general rule of thumb, ground spices should be replaced about every 1-2 years. While whole spices can last years and years if stored correctly. Each spice and herb has its own individual shelf life. If a spice or herb does lose potency and intended flavoring, it won’t hurt to use, but it should be replaced for best results.
What is a seasoning?
A seasoning consists of a mixture of several flavoring ingredients: salts, sugars, spices, and herbs. Although each of the components listed above is a seasoning of some sort, they can each be individual subsets of seasonings.
For example, if you mix together some salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, and rosemary, you would have a very simple steak seasoning to add to any beef you may have to give it a nice round base of flavor.
What is a Spice?
Spice is a plants vegetation that is used to flavor foods, adding a pungent or aromatic finish to the flavoring of the product it is placed in. Spices come from the seed, stem, root, flower, fruit or bark of the plant or tree it is taken from.Some common spices include pepper, cinnamon, curry powder, chili powder, and paprika. (More spices are listed below)
What is an herb?
An herb is also a plants vegetation that is used to flavor foods, but it is harvested from a different part of the plant or tree, then spices are. Herbs come from the leafy green part of the plant or tree. Herbs are mostly fresh ingredients but some can get dried out. Some common herbs include basil, rosemary, bay leaves, and thyme. (More herbs are listed below)
Common Household Seasonings shelf life
- Black Peppercorn (not crushed) – Lasts 3-4 years
- Kosher Salt – Can last indefinitely kept away from humidity
- Chilli Powder – Lasts 1-2 years
- Cayenne Pepper – Lasts 1-2 years
- Cumin Powder – Lasts 1-2 years
- Curry Powder – Lasts 1-2 years
- Paprika – Lasts 1-2 years
- Cloves – Last 1-2 years
- Cinnamon – Lasts 1-2 years
- Garlic Powder – Lasts 1-2 years
- Dried Oregano – Lasts 1-2 years
- Ground Ginger – Lasts 1-2 years
- Dried Thyme – Lasts 1-2 years
- Basil – Lasts 3-4 years
- Bay Leaves – Last 1-3 years
- Dill Weed – Lasts 3-4 years
- Ground Nutmeg – Lasts 1-2 years
- Onion Powder – Lasts 1-2 years
- Red Pepper Flakes – Last 3-4 years
- Saffron – Lasts 1-2 years
- Sage – Lasts 1-3 years
- Dried Rosemary – Lasts 1-2 years
Storage Conditions
For the longest shelf life, follow these three steps:
- Keep in a cool space
- Store in an airtight container
- Store away from direct heat, sunlight, and humidity.
Nothing necessarily bad will happen if these steps are not followed properly. These steps are just to increase the spices’ shelf life; but if your spice gets wet at all it cannot be stored again, it must be used as soon as possible.
The best containers for storage
For the best long-term storage of your spices and herbs store them in a sealed glass container, I’d recommend using appropriate size mason jars for the spices and herbs you want to be stored. Keep lids on tight to prevent any loss of potency, for best results vacuum seal the spices or herbs inside the mason jar using a vacuum seal attachment. But If you don’t have one that’s fine, just make sure the jar is sealed tightly and stored in a dark, dry, and cool place.
If you want to simply keep your spices and herbs in the same containers they come in, just keep in mind that they aren’t the best for long-term storage. If you plan on using the seasonings frequently then it is no use to put them in mason jars, but if you aren’t I strongly recommend it. Doing so will help keep its flavoring intact and potency at its peak performance.
How to test seasonings?
In the instance, you are unsure your seasoning is still going to work properly, test it. To test, first smell it, if the aroma of the seasoning isn’t clear, then it most likely won’t hurt to replace. If you’re still not sure, rub a small amount on your palm and try it; if it isn’t as potent as it should be, then replace seasoning with a fresh alternative.
Is it safe to use old spices?
Nothing bad will happen if someone does use an old spice. They don’t go bad unless exposed to moisture, at that point they will mold over a short period of time and you obviously don’t want to use it then. The only negative effect using an old spice will have, is the fact you have to use much more of the spice to flavor your dish to its intended flavoring because the spice has lost its aromatic potency.
Helpful ideas for old spices
Most people throw away their old spices and lose out on awesome uses for them that can help improve their everyday experiences. Here are just a few very simple ideas you can use your old spices for instead of just throwing them out. If you have a problem with bugs in your house and don’t have anything to repel them, simply spread out a strong spice such as pepper, mint, sage, oregano, and many others, on your counter or wherever the bugs are coming from. Doing this will most likely overpower the bugs senses and cause them not to return again.
If you have issues with rodents getting into your garden; take any hot spice you have and toss it on the ground around the targeted plants and sprinkle on the plants leaves. Doing this won’t hurt the plant or product that comes from your plant. This will irritate the rodent’s mouth and nose and force it to stop coming by for dinner. Keep spreading the spices for as long as necessary, usually a week or two.
To get rid of smells in your jars, bottles or thermoses, just fill them with warm water and add a teaspoon of dried mustard to the container. Let sit overnight, rinse and voila! The smell will be gone. Do you Want how to keep the musty smell out of them as they’re stored for your next use? Put about a tablespoon of salt in the jar, bottle, or thermos before storing. It will absorb any moisture left in the container, which is what causes the musty smell in the first place.