When buying herbs and/or spices, do so a tablespoon or so at a time, rather than the higher priced "packaged" ones. This means you will have fresher, and it costs far less. Also, look in Mexican aisles as they often have smaller packages of herbs/spices that are far cheaper than in the "American" ones; and from what I understand many can be found far less expensive in Asian markets as well!
If you do not have older spice bottles, look at places like the "as is" Goodwill store, use baby jars that are cleaned, or check freecycle or other local recycling places!
It's easy to make "tags" for your new spice containers. I use "season greetings" tabs I got for a dime at a yard sale and they work great! You can easily "make" your own from blank paper, old envelopes, piece of typing paper, etc. Simply put on with scotch tape. This way the spices and herbs are used quickly and don't have the time to get "old" on you!
Also if you come across an excellent buy, but aren't sure how you would ever use that much say, cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice,. you can give to others to use.
I found out about checking out Asian markets when checking recipes online
By katrina from Medford, Oregon
This page contains the following solutions.
Two markets I frequently shop at provide complimentary seasoning when you purchasing meat or poultry. They can season for you. I usually ask for some seasoning on the side in a baggie to bring home.
All cooks have their own secret ways to make the dish special. This time of the year, we are using spices that may have not been even thought of in 10-12 months.
When I use up a jar of herbs/spices, I wash the jar and remove the label. When I buy new herbs/spices, I buy the cheaper, bulk packaged brand. I put the herb/spice in the saved jar.
Save a bundle the next time you buy spices. Instead of reaching for the Spice Islands or any other brands that put spices in a jar, shop at stores that sell spices in bulk.
Rather then buy TWO containers of black pepper (whole AND ground) I used a drill to punch a hole into a dollar store pepper mill I bought. They are sealed so you can't just open them and I needed whole peppers or my pickling project.
Are you making a new recipe that calls out for seasoning or spices you don't have? Instead of purchasing each new seasoning or spice jar, which can get costly especially if you may not like the recipe, my thrifty tip is to purchase in bulk where you can scoop the amount you need into a ziplock or plastic bag.
One of the keys to cooking from scratch is having a good supply of quality spices. There can be sticker shock when shopping for spices but a little goes a long way.
Shop for spices and flavorings in the international foods section of your grocery store. You could get twice as much for half the price.
One way to save on your food budget is to buy your spices in bulk. They are available this way from various markets and on-line. This is a page about buying bulk spices.
ThriftyFun is one of the longest running frugal living communities on the Internet. These are archives of older discussions.
Spices can be expensive. So first I hit Dollar Tree, Big Lots or Aldis for the ordinary spices.
At WalMart and most grocery stores check the Hispanic foods section. There was ground cumin for 84 cents for 1 1/2 oz. McCormick's ground cumin was 2.82 for 2 oz.
Tips for saving money on spices. Visit your local bulk store where you can buy only a little bit of the spice you need at a time.
