I was grocery shopping at Whole Foods and I noticed the spice rack. A lot of the spices were ridiculously expensive, like $10 for a jar of cinnamon. Are you getting ripped off? How can you tell if you’re getting ripped off? What does a normal spice jar look like?
This is what the normal spice jars look like:
, you should probably avoid eating it.
I’m sure you’ve all heard the saying “The early bird gets the worm.” When it comes to shopping for spices, this is completely true. I have seen more worms in my day than I care to admit and when it comes to shopping for spices it’s best not to be caught with those little suckers.
In the event that you do happen across some of these little buggers, I’ve included a picture of one just below.
[insert picture of worm]
This is where I usually start my search for insects before I purchase a spice. However, this is not a foolproof method since they can be quite small sometimes and are easily missed by the naked eye.
You may also want to take a look at the underside of the lid as well. This is where they will often hide their homes and sometimes their eggs. Also, make sure that you take a look at the bottom of the bottle because these pests like to burrow into the actual spices themselves.
Spice shopping is a lot like wine shopping; if you know what you are looking for, it can be a fun experience. But if you don’t know anything about spices, the spice aisle can be overwhelming! What kind of pepper should I buy? Is this a good deal?
To help you navigate the spice aisle, here are some tips:
1) Freshness matters. Spices lose their potency over time. If you see spices that have been sitting in a bin for months, it is likely that those spices will not add much flavor to your food. While there is no official “sell by” date on spices, most experts recommend that you replace your spices every 6 months to 1 year.
2) Look for whole spices instead of pre-ground powders. Pre-ground powders lose their flavor quickly and probably aren’t as fresh as whole spices. It is worth investing in a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle to grind your own spices; they will taste so much better!
3) Look for spice companies that package everything in small quantities (1/4 cup or less). If you only use a little bit of cumin every couple of months, there is no reason to buy a giant container