The Spice Rack Trick I’ve Been Doing Once a Year for Decades (It Keeps My Cabinets Spotless!)
When was the last time you cleared out your kitchen cabinet where you keep your dried herbs and spices? The gray winter days of February are the perfect time to refresh the contents of your cabinets and check on the jars of dried thyme, garlic powder, ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and anything else you use to season your food. Making a regular winter check of the contents means keeping your ingredients at peak freshness for cooking and baking all year-round (plus, no more stress about expired ingredients when you do cook!).
Every February I take all the bottles and jars in my spice cabinet out and thoroughly check them. The herb and spice cabinet is the anchor of my kitchen, and it needs a checkup just about once a year where I toss what’s past its prime, and I consolidate other duplicates and partially used bottles.
How I “Refresh” My Cabinets Every Winter
A winter cleaning of the spice cabinet allows for the contents to be checked and updated once a year, and I’ve been doing it for decades. Here’s how it works: After taking everything out of the cabinet, I clean the shelves with warm, soapy water and white vinegar, and the door is left open to let the cabinet air-dry. Then, I go through the dried herbs and spice jars to decide what goes back in and what’s past its prime.
Check for any cracks in containers or lids that don’t have a secure fit, which will allow air into the jars. If there are half-filled bottles of the same spice, you can consolidate by pouring the contents into one container (with the oldest added last).
Then, I open each container of spices, herbs, and extracts to see if anything looks or smells off. Dried herbs can lose their vibrancy and flavor over time. Any faded dried herbs or spices can be used for making a pot of stock with vegetables. Remember, just because the recommended shelf life of some herbs and spices say “1 to 2 years” doesn’t mean those bottles should have an unlimited stay in your kitchen cabinet.
Why You Should Clean Your Spice Cabinet Out Every Winter
It’s not just about giving your kitchen a new year refresh. Herbs and spices are kitchen cornerstones that typically last for 12 to 24 months when stored in a cool, dark cabinet. Most herbs and spices won’t necessarily go bad like milk that has spoiled in the refrigerator, but they will lose their vibrancy, color, and taste.
“Great meals start with great herbs,” says Elizabeth Dela-Cruz, brand manager of Litehouse Foods. “And great dried herbs and spices should have three things: great taste, color, and aroma. Unlike fresh herbs that wilt quickly and have a short shelf life, dried herbs have a fresh-tasting flavor that is ready to use whenever you need it.”
You should take this time to check all of your dry ingredients. Baking ingredients like yeast, baking powder, and baking soda have specific expiration dates that will affect their flavor and chemical reaction in recipes. You don’t want to go through the steps of making muffins only to pull a deflated batch from the oven!
Where You Keep Spices and Herbs Makes a Difference
Many home cooks choose the cabinet above or next to the stove to store herbs and spices, simply because it’s the most convenient when cooking. The problem with this location is that it’s right above the heat source of the stove and oven, which can mean a shorter shelf life for dried herbs and spices that contain essential oils. Instead, experts recommend a cool, dark cabinet as a much better choice to preserve freshness.
When it comes to organizing your spices, there are plenty of smart solutions to choose from: custom drawers that keep jars and bottles organized, spinning turntables for your cabinets, or even DIY spice racks.
I’m no organizing expert, but I have a system that works for me. My spice cabinet is organized into three shelves: one storing my savory dried herbs and spices I use almost every night, the second shelf devoted to my baking ingredients, and the top shelf for bouillon cubes, flavored salts, spice rubs, and small pieces of kitchen equipment like the small propane blow torch.
The bottles used most often go in the front of the shelves for easy access. I also keep the more savory spices separated from the milder spices to avoid confusion. You don’t want to reach for a jar of chili powder when you mean to grab a mild paprika for egg noodles! When was the last time you checked your spice cabinet? If you can’t remember, time to add it to your to-do list!
