If you haven’t restocked your spice drawer in a while, you might be shocked bygrocery-store prices. How does that tiny jar of ancho chili powder end up costing $5?
A quick tip before you swap chili powder for paprika just because they’re both red (don’t do that!) or skip the star seasoning inGrilled Five Spice Chickenbecause you forgot to buy the Chinese blend: we pulled together 10 practical ways to cut costs on spices — and dried herbs, too.
It takes a bit of planning, but we’ve laid out a plan that will help you stock up for holiday baking, special meals or a simple weeknight dinner without overspending.
In this article, we’ll walk through:
- Initial Steps: Plan Before You Purchase
- 1. Purchase Bulk Spices
- 2. Save by Buying Whole Spices
- 3. Blend Your Own Seasonings
- 4. Check Dollar and Discount Stores
- 5. Save Money (and Discover New Flavors) at Ethnic Markets
- 6. Don’t Ignore Specialty Spice Shops
- 7. Buy Fresh at Farmers Markets
- 8. Hunt for Deals at Online Spice Retailers
- 9. Try Lesser-Known Brands
- 10. Use Herb and Spice Substitutions
Initial Steps: Plan Before You Purchase
First up, let’s go over some savvy-shopping basics that will help you keep spice costs down.
Know the Shelf Life of Herbs and Spices
Herbs and spices come from plants, but different parts. Herbs are the leafy parts — think basil, oregano and thyme. Spices come from roots, bark, seeds or berries: cinnamon is bark, cumin is a seed. Garlic and onion as fresh produce are vegetables, but when dried and powdered they’re treated as spices.
Because of that, their longevity varies. Loose leaf herbs usually hold up longer than powdered versions. Whole spices — such as cloves, cardamom pods and dried chiles — retain flavor far longer than their ground counterparts. Fresh items like basil or ginger root should be used quickly or frozen for later.
Figure Out Exactly What You Need — and How Much
You can save a surprising amount on spices by checking what you actually need. Review your menus — for example, many lentil soup recipes call for ground cumin, ground coriander, paprika and bay leaves. Do those already live in your cupboard or do you need to buy them?
Ask yourself: How often will I use this? If your grandmother’s spaghetti sauce calls for a pinch of dried parsley and you rarely use it otherwise, don’t buy a huge jar. What do you already own? A quick audit of your spice stash can prevent last-minute overspending.
Could a spice blend cover several needs? Blends can be economical when individual exotic components are pricey and rarely used. And if a blend is something you use frequently, it may be cheaper to make your own.
Finally, think about leftovers. Planning tacos from leftover rotisserie chicken or roast turkey? You can whip up a simple taco mix from chili powder, onion and garlic powders, red pepper flakes and oregano.
How To Tell If Your Herbs and Spices Are Still Good
The easiest test is the sniff test.
Open the jar and take a whiff, or rub a little between your fingers and smell. Does the color look vibrant or faded? If the aroma and flavor are strong, keep it. If you can’t detect much and need to read the label to identify it, it’s time to toss it.
Although you might read that certain spices only last a specific number of months, actual shelf life depends on many things. Time is a factor, but storage method matters a lot too.
How To Protect Your Spice and Herb Investment
A few good habits will stretch the life of your dried herbs and spices.
Storage.Keep spices and dried herbs in glass or metal containers tucked in cabinets or drawers away from light. Use jars with lids (not just shaker tops) when possible.
Freezing.Herbs can be frozen, but be cautious with frozen spices. Once a container of frozen spice is opened, moisture can get in and it shouldn’t go back into the freezer.
Labeling.Write the purchase or opening date on each container so you can monitor freshness.
Organization.When you clean out the spice cupboard, you may find duplicate tiny jars of the same thing. A useful trick (borrowed from restaurants) is to group spices by how you use them: for savory dishes; for both savory and sweet; and for desserts. This makes items easier to find and helps avoid double purchases.
10 Clever Ways To Save Money on Spices
Consumer Reports found that inexpensive spices can perform just as well as expensive ones. So why pay more? With your needs in mind, here are practical methods to keep spice spending under control.
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1. Purchase Bulk Spices
Buying in bulk might sound like getting a lot, but it actually lets you purchase exactly the amount you need instead of a prepackaged quantity that’s too large.
Bulk bins are perfect when you need a small quantity — say 1½ tablespoons of Cajun seasoning for a potluck dish — without committing to a full jar. A $5 bottle at the supermarket might give you barely an ounce, while bulk bins often cost a fraction of that amount.
Note: some bulk shops enforce a minimum purchase (often $2), while many health-food store bulk sections do not. Also, favor retailers that store bulk spices in glass jars rather than plastic to maintain quality.
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2. Save by Buying Whole Spices
Another cost-saving strategy is to buy spices before they’re ground. Whole spices grated or ground when needed are often cheaper per use, hold flavor longer and can taste fresher.
Is grinding your own difficult? Not really, though the right tools help.
You can buy asimple nutmeg graterfor just a few dollars. Cinnamon sticks can be pulverized in a coffee grinder; dry-roasting them briefly in a pan before grinding improves the flavor (some recommend adding a pinch of sugar for friction).
And the trusty mortar and pestle is still a fantastic, inexpensive choice for crushing spices — and it’s good for an arm workout.
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3. Blend Your Own Seasonings
You can save by mixing your own spice blends. If you’re making lots of pumpkin-flavored desserts, for example, you can assemble apumpkin pie spice blendfrom cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. A name-brand jar might cost nearly $5 for a small amount, while making it at home can be less than a third of that price. The same idea applies to Italian or Mexican spice mixes.
If you already have a decent pantry or plan purchases carefully, creating your own blends is a budget-friendly option.
Plus, homemade blends make thoughtful gifts — especially when themed for holidays or as a hostess thank-you. Pair a spice jar with a grinder and a simple cookbook for a nice present.
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4. Check Dollar and Discount Stores
Dollar stores and discount outlets can be good spots to score cheap spices.
Because you can’t smell items before buying, verify that the colors look fresh. Stores like Aldi, Target and Wegmans often price some spices below standard grocery-store levels, which makes them ideal for commonly used items.
Watch container sizes carefully: a 10-ounce jar for $4.50 might seem like a bargain, but a smaller option at Aldi could cost a dollar for a modest size — a much better value depending on usage.
For uncommon spices, though, ethnic markets or specialty shops are usually better bets.
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5. Save Money (and Discover New Flavors) at Ethnic Markets
A market focused on a particular cuisine — whether Latin, Indian, Thai or Ethiopian — is often the best place to find the right spices at low prices.
A local Latin grocery, for instance, will likely stock a wider variety of chiles (fresh, canned, jarred or dried) than a general supermarket.
Take your time though — the low prices and wide selection can be tempting, so pace your purchases.
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6. Don’t Ignore Specialty Spice Shops
You might assume specialty spice shops are always pricier, but for whole and hard-to-find spices they can be economical and high quality.
These shops often sell whole versions of spices that are more cost-effective than pre-ground equivalents, and they’re great for locating rare items. Staff can also offer helpful guidance on what to buy and how to use it.
Many small spice merchants also guarantee no hidden additives and run promotions to attract repeat customers.
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7. Buy Fresh at Farmers Markets
Farmers markets are another option for savings. Depending on local rules, herbs and some spice ingredients show up at markets — fresh herbs are common and easy to dry at home. Roots like ginger and turmeric are often available fresh and can be more economical than store-bought jars.
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8. Hunt for Deals at Online Spice Retailers
Shopping online for spices can seem expensive once shipping is added, but many online vendors cater to bargain hunters.
Several sites waive shipping over a minimum purchase (often $15–$45) or offer first-order discounts. Sites likeSpice Jungle andSavory Spice are examples.
Signing up for newsletters from stores such asPenzeys can generate ongoing discounts — occasional flash sales and percent-off deals make orders more affordable.
And there’s always Amazon: search for “spice deal of the day” to find occasional bargains. Amazon isn’t always the cheapest, but Prime members do benefit from free shipping.
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9. Try Lesser-Known Brands
A brand you haven’t heard of might still be a great value. For example,Badia is popular in some regions and can be cheaper than big-name labels like McCormick or Spice Islands while delivering comparable quality.
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10. Use Herb and Spice Substitutions
When you can’t find a specific spice or don’t have time to shop, substitutions are a handy way to avoid buying a large jar of something you’ll hardly use.
Simple swaps work well: chervil can be replaced with parsley or tarragon; if you’re out of cinnamon, a small amount of nutmeg or allspice can work (use only about a quarter of the suggested cinnamon amount). Thyme, oregano and basil can often stand in for each other depending on the dish.
Substituting helps avoid impulse purchases of specialty jars you might rarely use and keeps your kitchen running smoothly.
Cooking can be hectic, whether you’re preparing a weeknight dinner or trying a new recipe. Being equipped with the right spices — without overspending — saves both time and money.
Contributor Maria Jensen covers lifestyle and culture topics. She previously owned a small café in St. Petersburg, Florida, and hosted community arts segments on local radio for many years.
