How Long Can You Really Keep Spices?


Last week when I was cleaning out our pantry, I didn't make it to this rack. I'm big on cooking with herbs and spices, which explains why we have so many. But there are really only a few that I consistently replenish. The rest have been hanging out on that rack for oh, maybe five-ish years. Is that too long?

Before I start trashing them, I did a little research on how long spices stay fresh. Here's what I found out:

Shelf life of herbs and spices
Whole spices: 3-4 years
Ground spices: 2-3 years
Herbs: 1-3 years
Herb/Spice Blends: 1-2 years

Source: McCormick

That is much better than the shelf life of grains and legumes! But I've also seen other information that says herb and spices don't stay fresh nearly that long. So, I've decided to go with this little test I discovered: Rub or crush the herb or spice in your hand. If its aroma is weak, it's time to replace it.

Let the rubbing and crushing begin! This sounds interesting. Stay tuned.

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