A couple of years ago there was some sort of deal at Fred Meyer where I ended up with over 20+ jars of McCormick spice grinders. It was awesome. The grinders I picked up were pretty basic; Salt, Pepper, Garlic Salt, Garlic Pepper, and Italian Seasoning.
Over the years I’ve learned the best way to buy spices {When I can’t get them for free}, is by purchase them from the bulk spice counter at my local grocery store. With over 50+ spices and herbs to choose from, I can usually find what I need without having to shell out big bucks for some random spice I’ll only use once.
I still buy a few spices like cinnamon, thyme, and curry at Costco in large quantities because I use those spices very often in my day to day cooking, but for those spices I know I’ll only use a few teaspoons of, I buy them at the spice counter for a few pennies.
Not only does by small amounts of uncommon spices save me a ton of money every year, it’s also just one more thing to toss.
Do YOU buy your spices in bulk, or am I just a super nerd?
If so, what is the oddest spice you have ever purchased for a recipe?
~ Mavis
The Spice Lover’s Guide to Herbs and Spices
Emily says
Handy hint for saving a few extra cents – I take a sharpie with me and write the PLU directly on the bag, and knot the top rather than using the twist-ties. When you’re only buying a few teaspoons of a spice, the tie can nearly double your weight, and thus your price!
Mavis says
Nice!!!! 🙂
Kathy says
Oddest spice was mustard seed because former husband wanted me to make pickled tomatoes, which he never ate. I don’t have the opportunity to buy spices in bulk I just buy the huge containers of cinnamon, garlic powder and sometimes chili powder that get used up fast in my house. I don’t keep all spice or Italian seasoning because those 2 don’t get used much and make my own when it’s needed. Yes, I do have sage, thyme, rosemary and oregano because we grow our own, hence making own Italian. The all spice is easy, 2 parts cinnamon to 1 part clove 1 part nutmeg. Why but it when it’s cheaper to make?
Mavis says
Thanks Kathy! I am going to write about this. Great idea. 🙂 I totally forgot about it until you mentioned it. 🙂
Elizabeth says
See now mustard seed is just a routine for us. Use it so much I buy it in bulk and keep in old glass peanut butter jar. Use it in all the pickling recipes, plus it is great in fried potatoes. Just add it when you are starting to cook the onion in butter, oil whatever and they pop as they cook.
Sarah says
I always buy bulk spices! It’s a huuuuge money saver for me. There’s things I’ll buy normal like cinnamon or onion powder. But it’s a no brainer for the ones you use infrequently. Most stores have the smaller condiment cups with lids so I store them in those!
Oddest spice…. Juniper berries!
Mavis says
Sarah what did you use juniper berries for?
Mike says
Saurbratten!
Susan says
I buy a lot of bulk spices at Winco. They have a large selection. The store I shop at has a guy who works there exclusively. It is immaculate and he is always watching and cleaning. Especially like you said if you only want a teaspoon or so of something you might never use again.
I bought a bunch of glass jars with lids at Ikea – 4 pack for $3.99? I use those for the ones I buy that I use often. I also save the old tins and jars from previous purchases (like the peppercorn container from Costco) to refill.
I don’t like plastic bags with ties in my cupboards. I know…….
Carol says
I’m also a Winco bulk spice shopper. AND I love Penzeys.
Once a month I make “group soup” for our church. I’m always trying new recipes and want small amounts of things I may not use at home.
Then Penzeys has had so many free samples over the last year I’ve started to really enjoy some of their blends.
And this is the first year I’m drying my own. This weekend I even made DIY vanilla.
Tera says
I just bought $0.03 worth of coriander today. So awesome!
Angie D. says
They sell spices like that? I’ve never seen that before, but now I’m going to have to find a store that does this. Maybe Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s? Thanks for a new challenge!
Heather says
I buy in bulk too…love the tip on not using the ties to save extra pennnies. My oldest spice is poppy seeds. I bought a lot and it has taken me years to almost get to the bottom of the jar!
Elizabeth says
Poppy seeds are great added to cole slaw recipes and making lemon poppy seed bread and poppy seed torte and on and on. I buy poppy seed believe it or not a pound at a time when I can get to a bulk store. I store them in the refrigerator sealed with the air squeezed out then in a glass jar, BTW.
Heather says
I definitely hit the bulk spice section occasionally, but our local produce market has a spice section where all spice bottles are 99 cents no matter the type. And not the tiny containers, but the good size shakers. They won me over during pickling season by having the cheapest place to buy mustard and celery seed by a long shot.
Kat D says
Allspice berries. Needed them for pickled watermelon rinds. Have yet to find any other use for them. I buy some of my spices in bulk and grow all that I can. Also buy the rest of our dry goods in bulk – much, much cheaper to buy them in 50lb bags from an independent local shop every 6 mos than to constantly buy expensive piddly 1-5lb bags at the grocery.
Elizabeth says
Do you like hot cider? Starting in fall through New Years we like hot cider. I use my crockpot, pour gallon of cider in it , add cinnamon sticks, allspice berries, and slices of orange with cloves stuck into them. Get it all nice and warm and flavorful and can be served right out of crock pot. Then I will pour into a juice container for heating up individual cups from micro later. I scoop out the spices and throw them away. (I have saved spices by freezing for next batch on occasion, discard oranges into sink use new cloves.)
If you don’t want to scoop around the allspice berries as they are pretty small, you can tie them in cheesecloth or use a tea diffuser.
Lynn says
I sprinkled and mixed in cardamom in our pizza dough when making it from scratch. I will never go back to plain old pizza dough again. I am hooked!
Anne says
Fenugreek seeds for an Ethiopian recipe.
Ashley says
I’ve never seen that either. My stores offer ‘prepackaged bulk’ spices, which are way cheaper than the name brands. But it would be cool to only buy 1t of a spice if I knew I wouldn’t use a few ounces.
Jessica says
LOVE it! I only have 1 local store that carried bulk spice and i make a list and go there exclusively for that..( Their other prices are just too high).. I laugh that a pound of bay leaf is 12.99.. a large handful in a zip bag costs me around .75!
Sakura says
I buy mine in bulk at Winco also. I don’t buy anything strange, the last spice I purchased was Turmeric.
Helen in Meridian says
Saltpeter. My MIL was corniung her own beef and needed it. I,too, find that WINCO spices are the cheapest and largest assortment. of course we dont have whole foods or Trader Joes yet, so don’t know if they have more. Our new Rosauers has lots and lots of spices in their Huckleberry Health section… in fact, now that I think of it, they have a larger assortment of spices than WINCO, but WINCO is cheaper.
cindy says
“Do YOU buy your spices in bulk, or am I just a super nerd?”
You are Not a nerd, I take company that come to visit to my local bulk section, it’s a tourist attraction. WINCO is great. I buy all my spices and baking supplies there.
Brenda says
I never thought it was strange, but I can’t find ground celery seed anymore. We like it better than whole celery seeds and I can’t seem to grind it enough myself.
Rachel says
Bulk spices are the best – there’s a spice store in my neighborhood that carries over 500 spices, plus bulk tea.
I love the idea of not using the twist tie. I’ve been doing this because many times the twist tie gets separated from the bag and I no longer know what the spice is. And now I find out it’s saving me money!
Also, I suggest writing the name (not just the PLU) on the bag. As well as the date of purchase. No more guessing games!
Colleen says
Yep! I get most of my bulk spices from the Co-op. I love being able to buy a little or a lot of whatever I’m needing. The oddest spice I’ve ever bought was probably a fry spice in Germany. It is a spice blend specifically for putting on french fries or home fries. I’ve never seen it in the states.
Julie says
I wish I knew of a place locally that sold bulk spices. Buying that way makes so much sense.
jess h says
I have metal spice tins that are on magnets that hang on the fridge!! Super convienent!! Craziest bulk spice is white pepper and Xantham gum. I didn’t want to pay $12 for a pound when you only need one tsp per recipe!! It would go bad before I used it all! But now I can do Gluten free baking on the cheap!!
Elizabeth says
I can’t think of any odd spice. I think I have, and use, them all. Maybe because it is being vegetarian that I use more seasoning? Plus I have lots of ethnic cookbooks so I just use the spices they call for. My 1000 Indian recipe book asks for a few spices I don’t have like asefetida (sp?) but the office next to mine is run by an Indian family so when I need something I ust ask her. She told me about frying the mustard seeds when making potatoes.
Angie says
I’ve just got some adorable mini Kilner jars with spring tops – Amazon of course! I don’t keep large quantities of spices on hand but I am looking forward to making up some of the mixes you have posted Mavis to put in these mini jars ! Oh and I saw some salt mixes… Now if I could just remember where …
Angie
Isle of Man
Barbara says
I do make my own spice mixtures and I store them in a meal-size portion tiny container that I get at the dollar store. I began because Hubs and I are on a low sodium diet, and he’s diabetic. I am a nurse/nutritionist, and I also hate the questionable ingredients in the store mixtures. I am making my own vanilla (from beans from Beanilla.com) right now. HUGE savings there, and OMG those beans are just incredible! I feel that I save enough by mixing my own to buy my spices from Penzeys, because they are so far superior to grocery store herbs and spices that I can afford it. Their Vietnamese Cinnamon alone will make a believer of you. You can eat it without sugar; it’s that sweet and flavorful. I buy a few of their things in bulk, and they must always, always be stored in the freezer or they will lose their flavor. No spice should ever last in your cabinet for more than 1 year, so plan your buying that way. I drive 65 miles to Orlando to their store to get them, so you know they have to be worth it. You can also buy them online at Penzeys.com. Do send for their catalogs! No, I don’t work for them. I’m a retired grandmother who loves to cook from scratch and eat good, healthy food.
Leslie says
This is a bit late, of course. I think we go through a surprising amount of paprika, mustard powder, and ground thyme- which is hard to find. I live by the Winco bulk section. Buying the whole bag/box/case saves an extra 10%, so we get nuts, seeds, and dried cranberries that way. It’s sort of out of hand. Whole Foods by us just do not have a comparable selection- not even close! And the cost doesn’t compete with Winco. Winco FTW!
Carolyn says
I <3 bulk spices. You are not alone! After the first time she visited, and I got her hooked on bulk spices, my mother in law would bring a list of what she needed to stock up on when they came to visit. My best bulk spice conversion story is when I see men worriedly scanning the regular jar spices for something and I butt in and direct them to the bulk section. I see it as a public service.