spice jars/containers

debtmuncher

what do you keep your spices in? i use the jars that they come with but its pretty difficult trying to get a teaspoon into them!
thought of keeping back the lazy ginger/garlic jars so that i could decant them into that. only i saw the hairy bikers last week using a spice container that contains a few wee pots. love the idea but i prefer to have them in jars for easy storage. dont see my cupboards being able to fit a round container.

what do you all use?

Minihauk

I bought one of those stainless steel, round pots that has lots of smaller pots in for spices. Lots of the Indian ladies I used to work with use these all the time. However, I found I didn't use the spices quickly enough and they lost their flavour, so have gone back to using jars with lids and the spices keep fresher longer. I use small round plastic jars, and they stack in the cupboard. I write the name of the spice in permanent marker on the lid of the jar. I also prepare ginger, garlic, etc and freeze it in a flat "lump" so I can just break a bit off when I need it.

Katy83

Minihauk wrote: »

I also prepare ginger, garlic, etc and freeze it in a flat "lump" so I can just break a bit off when I need it.

That's dead clever - I'm going to try that tomorrow :T

For the spices, I keep them in the small clip-top boxes. They are quite expensive for initial outlay but if you buy your spices from the asian supermarket then that saves quite a lot.

esio_trot

I personally use the ones they came in, or, for those that I use often (like mixed herbs) I use screw top ones from Ikea, though unfortunately, I can't remember how much they cost.

can't post a link to show you, though if you google "Ikea Spice Jar" and look in the images section, they're the little stout ones (first picture result for me)

I also find them helpful for taking sugar to work for my tea!

Swan_2

I have faaaaar too many herbs & spices ... my favourite at the moment is sumak

I usually buy them from my local Asian grocer (much cheaper than the supermarket or Schwartz) & decant them into supermarket value plastic containers, which fit nicely into two 600mm drawers I have in my kitchen
I write the name & date I opened the packet on the body of the container, & the name on the lid so I can see it when I open the drawer

like Minihauk I freeze pureed garlic & ginger, I also loose freeze fresh coriander, parsley, curry leaves, grated fresh coconut etc, & you can just take out a few Tablespoons at a time as you need them

foxgloves

I re-did my spice cupboard 'cos I love cooking, use quite a lot of spices, dry my own herbs, etc, & I too was getting annoyed with farty little jars you can't get a spoon into. I make lots of chutney & so someone gave me a big stash of empty coffee jars for that.... I think it might have been from Douwe Egberts coffee or similar, the chunky thick glass jars with a glass stopper instead of a plastic lid. Have transferred all my spices into those and just written the name of the spice straight onto the jar in waterproof marker pen. Someone actually asked me where I got my nice big chunky spice jars from! I'm really pleased with them, they hold more too & best of all, it was free (one of my favourite words!)

jcr16

i use the 100ml round lock and lock pot's they are really small but stack perfectly. i've only got about 20 diff herbs and spices but i have found using these takes up alot less space then the old tub's i used. i only get herbs and spices from a local weigh shop. so i've found it excellent.

i got my tubs from ebay. think they were £1 something each. but the seller gave me an amazing postage price. think he charged £2 for the whole lot.

mambury

nice jam jars with pretty labels that I print out myself! Only because all my 'erbs 'n' spices are only display!!

Mambury

Barneysmom

Buy different spoons, much cheaper than replacing your jars :cool:
And it means you don't have to guess the use by date.
I got a set of measuring spoons from Asda and the half teaspoon size fits in the jar fine.

jillymit

Barneysmom wrote: »

Buy different spoons, much cheaper than replacing your jars :cool:
And it means you don't have to guess the use by date.
I got a set of measuring spoons from Asda and the half teaspoon size fits in the jar fine.

Yes, I've got a little set of measuring spoons I keep just for spices. All my jars are kept in a couple of old square biscuit boxes.

freakyogre

I've been looking for some jars for a while but they're either too big or too small (or too expensive!) I was at my dad's yesterday and noticed he had some jars of sandwich spread/paste (new ones from Shippams I think) and they seem a perfect size, so i've asked him to keep them for me. They're on offer at half price at the moment, so I may get a few...he can eat the contents and i'll have the jars