Advice needed regarding out of date herbs and spices

CAT££

It's fine to use out of date herbs/spices, as they are dried.

To revive out of date herbs/spices such as cumin seeds, coriander seeds, parsley, thyme, basic, oregano etc, rub a small amount in between your fingers for a few seconds, the heat of your hand helps to extract natural oils from the herbs/spices.

Learnt this tip from the Barefoot Contessa (American TV Cook)

fionapilot

out of date dried herbs and spices bought in jars from supermarkets won't do you any harm but the reason you're using them is because of the flavour and aroma they give to your cooking and the older they are the less they will have. A few years out of date and they probably won't smell or taste of much at all and you might as well be putting dust in your food. When you buy herbs or spices keep them in the freezer. keeps them fresh for much longer. That's a tip from my mother-in-law from South Africa. Keeps weevils at bay too.

nickytrick

Use them on the BBQ

-taff

Yep, as above, the older they are, the less flavour they have, especially dried herbs, the spices will last longer. It won't harm you to eat them.

The essential list of herbs and spices depend on what you cook most often.

I use a lot of mint, rosemary, thyme and flat leaf parsley, but I use them fresh or out of the freezer.In jars, I use stuff for making chutneys and spices for cakes.

If you cook a lot of indian food, you need indian spices etc.

stwinnow

Well I may be considered mean - I know I am but I prefer to say I'm canny!! Don't throw away your out of date herbs or spices. Try and improvise in other ways. Spices can be added to pot pourri. Herbs can either be place in an attractive dish or put into small home made bags ( like lavendar bags) and used as air fresheners, fly/insect repellents especially in conservatories. Depending on the herb ( or the smell) they can also be hung on hangers in the wardrobe as moth repellents. So you see there is a use for most things that other people automatically throw away!! Have a good day!!

Blackbeard_of_Perranporth

You can deliver them to me, and I will store them next to my Black Treacle, used once a year for the chrimbo pudding. They will feel at home, being dated around the same period, best afore 2006.

They will not last long though, as they will be used quickly.

ostrichnomore_2

Everyone will have their own idea about what is essential.

I can't do without oregano, sage, coriander, bay leaves and rosemary as basic herbs. Spices - paprika, whole black peppers for my grinder, cumin, generic jerk seasoning, dried chilli flakes.

Oregano is my number one go-to. I have it with practically everything.

savingqueen

stwinnow wrote: »

Well I may be considered mean - I know I am but I prefer to say I'm canny!! Don't throw away your out of date herbs or spices. Try and improvise in other ways. Spices can be added to pot pourri. Herbs can either be place in an attractive dish or put into small home made bags ( like lavendar bags) and used as air fresheners, fly/insect repellents especially in conservatories. Depending on the herb ( or the smell) they can also be hung on hangers in the wardrobe as moth repellents. So you see there is a use for most things that other people automatically throw away!! Have a good day!!

My regular herbs don't get a chance to get past their use by dates but I have several old spices. I would be reluctant to throw them out but will check them before using them (after reading the weevils post). Our kids don't like strong flavours so weaker flavours are fine. If I cooked/baked and the taste was too bland though, I would then bin it. However I like the ideas above and will bear that in mind, thanks!

sq:)

FairyPrincessk

I have a rather large collection of herbs and spices---and with the exception of the mint and the turmeric, I use them all quickly enough (still use those two, just not very quickly)--but then I tend to buy based on a specific recipe, so unless the recipe is particularly bad, chances are it will get used again, at least for that one. I personally wouldn't throw them out, but if I did, I'd keep the jars, wash them, and use for decanting fresh things in.

dasophster

Depends what they are, some dried herbs and spices can last for years. I have a jar of cloves with a BB date of 2005, they still are very strongly flavoured and haven't gone mouldy or anything. Bay leaves are another one that never really go off. Chilli powder will just become less spicy (which is great if you're not a fan of very hot chillies) but doesn't lose the underlying flavour. I would open them check them and if they smell relatively fresh and pungent in the right way I would keep them xx