How do you save money on spices?

A tough one. I always worry that the spices I don't use will lose their effectiveness over time but I was told that some spices are still good even after 12 months of storage.

When I buy spices, I always compare the PRICE PER UNIT of bulk sizes to the price per unit of the smallest jars. Buying in bulk can be more economical even if you feel like you do waste some of it over time.

Another way to save is to visit local ethnic food specialty stores if you know where to find them. They are usually cheaper than commercial grocery stores and I've found some great deals this way.

You could also try buying wholesale online from a place like this >

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A flat rate shipping fee of $7.95 will be applied to orders under $50 (FREE if above $50 worth) but they have more than just spices....they also have teas, dried fruits, essential oils, salts, sugars etc etc.

 

Do you have an Aldi's in your area? Their spices are all $0.99 cents each, and they are larger containers - not those tiny McCormick containers you pay like $4-$5 for in the Grocery stores. Granted, they don't have the full selection of spices, mainly the basics, but even if you are saving several dollars on those that's better than nothing. I would also check some of the other discount grocery stores around you as well. Save-A-Lot also sells $1 bottles of spices, but they are smaller. However they carry some stuff, such as Bay Leaves, that Aldi doesn't.

If there are some spices that you do use a lot of, you could also check any restaurant supply stores near you. GFS for example is open to the public and they sell large over sized containers of spices for about $6-$7 a piece. They have some interesting blends too though, which is still saving you as opposed to buying all the spices separately to make them yourself.

 

I like to buy spice at the Dollar Tree or at a Mexican market. You can find some exotic spices there for under a dollar. It is a great way to try out new spices for your cooking without buying a $8 bottle like it most markets. I like ethnic stores too! There is an international market near me that sells them in bulk, but I don't use that much so these small packets work out for small families too.

 

I heard it's way more economical to just shop at a spice store where you can pay by weight so you wouldn't have to purchase more than you need at any given time. If this is available to you then I think it's probably one of the best options to go for. I not, then you could just opt for the store brand spices at the grocery which costs a lot less than the McCormick bottles. The only problem with buying these is that the containers might not be as good, as some of them are just packed in plain plastic, but I think it is a good alternative.

 

I bulk-buy my spices from a natural food store. I don’t necessarily need huge amounts, but the pricing is much better than the grocery stores, plus they’re all organic (whereas the least expensive grocery store spices are not). I’ve saved some small spice containers and I usually buy just enough to fill them up, maybe a little bit more because I’m not great at eyeballing. Works really well for me.

 

I buy my spices in bulk as well from the Bulk Barn or from a health food store called Kardish. It's so much more affordable then you only buy what you need and it doesn't cost a whole lot for the spices. If you buy the McCormick bottles in the grocery store you are paying too much for the spices. I have small tins that I use to keep my spices in which I bought at IKEA for next to nothing and they look great. I also know people who buy the large spice containers from Costco but share the contents among 3 or 4 families so they don't have to use such a large container or that the contents will go stale before it's finished.

 

I have purchased spices from Aldi's. I like the combination pack they have different rubs for different meat and sauces at a good price. The Dollar Store is also a good place to get spices, if you have a Big Lot's in your area their prices are good also.

 

I often visit the ethnic stores in my area. They tend to sell herbs and spices in larger packets than the supermarket but for less. I cook from scratch most nights so it does all get used. I'll just transfer it from the packet into a lidded container.

 

I get a lot of my generic spices at Costco. It’s a few dollars for a large container of it. I usually buy salt, pepper and garlic powder there. For spices that I don’t use very often I get either at Christmas Tree shop or Trader Joes. Christmas Tree shop has spices for $1. They don’t have a large selection though. Trader Joes on the other hand has almost every spice I can think of. They run a few dollars each.

 

I purchase my spices at a bulk food store. They allow you to purchase however much you need of a certain spice. If you do not have a bulk food store near you, consider Dollar Tree, Big Lots, or Ollie's if you have one near you. While not as inexpensive as the bulk food store, these stores have many spices for $1 each.

 

We got to get an Aldi's here in Hawaii! If you have a CVS Drug store they have spices locally going for 1.79 2.37 oz that goes on sale for .99 from time to time. It's not a big amount so it'll keep fresh. The sales are often enough to have spices year around. Just one thing they don't have every spice.

 

I usually shop for spices at my local discount food store. They carry the Sauers brand which is significantly less than McCormick. They also have Encore brands and just recently I got cinnamon sticks for less than a dollar. I have seen them as much as 5 or 6 dollars in other stores. So, as with most things, it pays to shop around.

 

As both spices and herbs are generally good for between 2-3 years - provided that they are stored correctly - the best way I have found of keeping the cost of herbs and spices to a minimum - is to buy them all loose from a natural whole food store or better still - to grow all your own herbs - which is what I do - and only buy the spices or herbs that you can't grow - as not only is it way cheaper - but they taste a whole lot better too.

 

Another place to check out would be any local specialty ethnic grocery stores that may be in your area. There was a middle eastern grocery store by me that would sell many different spices in large bags super cheap. I was buying stuff like 1 and 2lb bags of chili powder for like $2.99 a bag. Some of the spices were left whole, so you had to grind them yourself. However that's a good thing since they will remain fresher longer. I don't feel so bad either if I don't use them up before they go bad, because they didn't cost me much to begin with. As for storage, I've always been told to keep your spices in a dark location, and away from the sunlight, to help them last longer.