Contributed by Angela Cleveland

As we learned last week, spices and herbs add flavour and nutrition to our meals. While fresh spices and herbs are always best, they are not always accessible. For most spices and herbs, you can use 1 tsp of dried for every 1 Tbs of fresh. Dried spices and herbs can still provide great flavour and nutritional benefits as long as they are not too old. To maintain the quality of your spices and herbs, they have to be stored properly. Here are some storage tips to maximize their shelf life.

-Heat, air, and light cause the essential oils in spices and herbs to evaporate, thereby diminishing their quality.
-Store your spices and herbs in a dark, dry place (not next to your fridge, dishwasher or stove) in tight containers with screw cap lids.
-Use dry spoons to measure spices.
-Refrigerate cayenne pepper, chili powder, and paprika to retain color longer.
-At least once per year, check your spices and herbs for an aroma which will indicate freshness.

Here is a general guide to the shelf life of your spices and herbs:
-Whole spices: 2 to 5 years
-Ground spices: 6 months to 2 years
-Leafy herbs: 3 months to 2 years
-Dehydrated vegetables: 6 months

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Instructions

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