Do me a favor. Go to your kitchen and open your spice cabinet. How does it look? Is everything organized? How old are the spices in there? It may be time for a fresh refill.
It is important to have a well stocked and well organized spice rack so you can quickly boost the flavor in anything you're cooking.
Tip #1: Be aware of where you're storing your spices
Keep your spices in a cold dark place, away from any sunlight. Too many people keep their spices on their kitchen wall or on the fridge and that just isn't the correct way to do it. It is important to have a spice cabinet for everything you buy. This is so that your spices don't lose their coloring & flavor.
Tip #2: Be aware of how you're storing your spices
You've made your trip to Nancy's Candy & Spice and now you're at home. What now? Store your spices in a tight-fitting glass jar to ensure that they will stay nice and fresh and devoid of any moisture. Do not leave your seasoning blends or spices in plastic bags if you've bought them in bulk!
Tip #3: Only keep the spices that make sense for you
If you cook often consider buying spices that work for multitudes of recipes you may want to cook. For example, you will want to keep a large amount of spices like black pepper, cinnamon, & oregano because there are a lot of recipes that call for those. Meanwhile, you shouldn't keep a large quantity of saffron because only specific recipes call for that.
Tip #4: Avoid buying your spices from a grocer.
Consider supporting Nancy's Candy & Spice, or another small business spice retailer. The truth is as a small business we specialize in seasoning blends, herbs, & spices. Our blends are fresher, free of GMOs, and cost the same, or are cheaper than the blends at the grocery store. We also offer seasoning blends and spices that you can't find at your regular grocery store.
I hope this quick little guide is useful for you! :)