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Patty
07-04-2013, 12:12 PM
Recently my neighbor borrowed my baking soda so I bought a new box. One good thing I found was that it now comes in smaller boxes. How often do you buy it? Me...maybe 2 or 3 times in a lifetime??? Anyway, I asked a woman who was at the same spot in the grocery store as I was "do you periodically buy new bkg soda and other spices, or wait till you run out? She said she never buys new unless she is out of it. But, she did google it and found out the shelf life is a very long time. My question is: do you periodically replace your spices or just buy it when you run out? I'm not seeing any expiration date on them.:confused:

jazzypurple853
07-04-2013, 12:58 PM
Since I bake a lot, I tend to use baking soda a bit. I aslo use baking soda to clean with.
So I buy it when I notice that is running low, since I don't want to be in the making a batter and then realize that I don't have enough baking soda. Since that has happened to me before with flour!

Last summer , I did a clean sweep of my spices. I went thru what I had , matched up spices that were the same. Found out that I had quite the same amount of certain spices. I got rid of some spices that had been around for a while. So I replaced the ones that needed to be replaced.

So as a result of doing this, I have kept better tabs on spices that I have and don't get any unless I am running low.

HeatherJ
07-04-2013, 01:27 PM
I go to spice home parties so I have a ton! Epicure Selections - love all their stuff! I never get to use all my yeast before it is too old to work but I admit some of the others in there that came over on the Ark. Curry needs to be fresh, I find, but we use quite a bit of it so it never gets a chance to get bad.

Nancy
07-04-2013, 08:10 PM
Last year I went through all my spices and threw them out, Then I bought new as I needed and dated them- As far as baking soda I buy large bags of it and once a month put baking soda, vinegar and hot(boiling) water down all my drains. I also use it for cleaning and brushing my teeth- Nancy

Paula Carden
07-04-2013, 09:19 PM
Occ I replace what I need. I don't cook much I only buy what I need. I do use baking soda for lots of things so I buy it more. I use it in the refrigerator etc..

Patty
07-04-2013, 11:18 PM
Glad to see I'm not the only one with "antique" spices. I use certain ones, like bay leaves, parsley etc and I replace those, but some of them are pretty old. I guess I'll google them and see what that says!!

maxiesmom
07-06-2013, 10:55 PM
I keep a lot of my extra stuff that I buy in larger quantities in the freezer, but also go through most of my stuff fairly often. I know spices don't last more than a year or so before they lose most of their oompf so I try not to keep things way too long. It is going to make whatever you're cooking taste less yummy so why sacrifice taste. They aren't all that expensive. Luckily we have a Penzey's spices not too far and I love their stuff.

Patty
07-07-2013, 10:56 AM
Oh, Kathy...I never heard of Penzey's....is it a regular grocery store, or is it special for baking stuff?

ellie
07-07-2013, 12:03 PM
Well, we just finished a large thing of oregano that we purchased about 5 years BEFORE we moved to Charlotte 17 years ago next month!!! So I guess I would have to say, I wait until we run out. After 22 years, it still smelled and tasted fine.

loobylou
07-07-2013, 06:54 PM
Interesting discussion, I only replace when I run out. I use Basil, oregano and paprika the most, and probably replace them once or twice a year. Other spices I know I have had for years and years.

maxiesmom
07-07-2013, 09:32 PM
Oh, Kathy...I never heard of Penzey's....is it a regular grocery store, or is it special for baking stuff?

www.penzeys.com Awesome spice company, used to be only catalog and then the stores started becoming more prevalent although still not everywhere. I would love to work there someday, but it is at least a half hour drive away and I'd be going with the rush hour traffic. Yuk. Prices are reasonable and very fresh.

maxiesmom
07-07-2013, 09:33 PM
Well, we just finished a large thing of oregano that we purchased about 5 years BEFORE we moved to Charlotte 17 years ago next month!!! So I guess I would have to say, I wait until we run out. After 22 years, it still smelled and tasted fine.

Ellie, I gotta say I think you can afford new oregano. Would you use canned goods that are 22 years old? Just saying!

Patty
07-07-2013, 10:21 PM
Kathy--you're funny...It seems from what I read here that to those that cooking is a happy pastime, the spices are important enough to be replaced timely. I think Ellie and I feel the same about cooking---it's a necessity...so we replace when we NEED to only. Maybe I'll look 'em up and try to change this habit. What do you say Ellie....you too???

cindi
07-08-2013, 10:04 AM
I usually replace as needed for spices, though I use less of those than i do herbs..I go through tones of herbs, and most of those I grow myself.
:)

Christie
07-08-2013, 11:59 AM
i only replace once i run out. some like basil, paprika, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder and italian seasoning i use a lot and buy a few times a year the others just sit there until i need them!