Budget-friendly ways to save on herbs, spices

Packaged spices can be expensive – as much as $4 for a small container of ground cumin. Here are three strategies to keep your foods seasoned and your budget under control.

•Grow your own

For less than the cost of a small container of many dried spices, you can buy small pots of fresh herbs including mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary and others at garden shops. Pinch off what you need and the plants will keep on giving.

•Buy what you need

Check the pantry before you shop or you could end up buying items you already have – and there goes another $4 just sitting on your shelf.

•Go to seed

Whole seeds, such as nutmeg, allspice, coriander, etc., offer optimum flavor longer than the dried powders in the bottles. The shelf life of properly stored whole spices is about four years, according to the experts at McCormick. Ground spices are good for two to three years, and leafy herbs are good for one to three years, depending on the herb. A coffee bean grinder will pulverize seeds and whole spices in seconds.