Keeping a well-stocked spice cupboard is a major factor in making home cooking cheaper, easier, and healthier. Unseasoned meats and vegetables are much, much cheaper to buy than the pre-seasoned varieties. And pre-mixed spices, in addition to containing a lot of extra un-pronounceable things you probably don't want to eat, are as much as 3-4 times the cost per ounce of the spices individually.
Did you know you could make your own taco seasoning?
Italian seasoning?
Cajun seasoning?
Greek seasoning?
How about your own ketchup?
Ranch dressing?
Barbecue sauce?
Or this awesome sauce that will make you want to shank people just to get the last few drops off their plate?
These are some of the spices I always want to have on hand:
Salt and pepper (duh)
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Cayenne pepper
Cumin
Paprika
Marjoram
Rosemary
Thyme
Oregano
Basil
Parsley
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Dill weed
I can make just about anything with these. I have a small spice rack with all of these spices on the stove, but I buy them in as large a container as I can find available. I keep the big containers in the cupboard and fill the small spice jars as needed. If you had a big ole restaurant-sized kitchen, I guess you could keep all those big honkin' containers out, but I don't have such a kitchen. Also, I've made homemade spice mixes so often that now I just dump from the individual spice jars into each deliciously bubbling meal, but these containers make great storage for your own homemade pre-mixed spices (taco mix, Italian seasoning, etc.)
The next time you want to make tacos, spaghetti, barbecue chicken, or red beans and rice, try a homemade spice mix. Buying all these spices up front will rack up your grocery bill up front, but the money you save (and preservatives, and who-knows-what-is-in-those-mixes) is totally worth it in the long run. And I LOVE being able to just go throw together fajitas at the last minute when I haven't planned it in the weekly menu and just need something to feed All These Complaining People tonight.
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