03.03.2020
The Truth About Bulk Spices
What to know before buying bulk spices. Tips on freshness, whole vs ground, storage, and when to choose online spice sellers.
- Whole spices hold flavor far longer than ground ones. Grind only what you will use soon.
- Bulk bins can be fresher than supermarket bottles, but check grind date, source, and storage.
- Online specialty shops often offer the freshest spices because they grind and ship frequently.
I bought bulk spices in the dark days before I discovered the magic of online spice shopping. Bulk spices seem like a good idea. You get exactly the quantity you need. You see and smell the spices as you scoop. You trust the source, since bulk spices are generally sold at health food stores and food co-ops.
If your choices are supermarket spices in plastic bottles or bulk spices from the health food store, then bulk spices are the better choice. Fortunately, the internet gives us an even better option. Buying spices online is smart because the selection is vast and the spices are fresher.
The food industrial complex is amazing, but it has not been good for spices. To maximize profits, international spice behemoths take their time delivering spices to you. They harvest, store, transport, store, process, store, package, store, transport, and store again before delivering spices to your supermarket. Spice companies have become logistics companies, and we taste the difference.
Bulk spices are a good alternative to stale supermarket spices, especially if done right. Sadly, not every spice seller does it right. This matters with pungent ground spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and ground pepper. Properly stored in their whole form, cinnamon bark, nutmegs, and peppercorns can last for years. But the minute those spices are cracked and ground, volatile oils are released and the clock is ticking on flavor.
Storage is also a problem. How long has that spice been sitting in that dusty glass jar? Hard to know. Before it was dumped into the jar, how long did it languish in a loosely closed sack in the back store room? Hard to know. Ask somebody at the store and see if you get answers to these questions: When was the cinnamon ground? Where was it ground? Who ground it? When did it get here? How long has it been in that jar?
If you do buy bulk spices, be cautious about quantity. Just because the cheap plastic bag holds a full cup does not mean you need a full cup. Buy ground spices frequently in small quantities. It is fine to load up on whole spices like peppercorns, but go easy on the ground cinnamon.
There are no easy answers to questions about spice freshness. Cinnamon ground six months ago will smell and taste like cinnamon. Peppercorns ground a year ago are an acceptable topping for steak — if you and the steak are stranded on a desert island. The ground nutmeg your mom bought during the first Reagan administration is not going to make you sick. But each of those spices delivers only a fraction of optimal flavor. To get the best flavor, you want spices ground within the past month.
We obsess about freshness at The Spice House. We blend and grind every day, so I can take home something fresh every evening. The internet gives you the same access. The spice you order today was ground within the past week or two — if not the past day or two.
I do have fond memories of scooping spices with my hippie parents at the food co-op in Silver Spring, Maryland. But that was the late 1970s, and we’ve come a long way since then.
Charlie Mayer is CEO of The Spice House and a somewhat capable home cook.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are bulk spices fresher than supermarket jar spices?
Often yes. Bulk bins at health food stores can be fresher than mass-produced supermarket jars, but it depends on how the store stores and rotates them. Always check when the spice was ground and how it is kept.
How can I tell if a bulk spice is fresh?
Smell and look. Fresh ground spices smell strong and bright in color. Ask staff: when was it ground, where was it ground, and how long has it been in the bin or jar. If staff cannot answer, buy a smaller amount or skip it.
Whole or ground: which should I buy?
Buy whole spices for long storage. Whole peppercorns, nutmeg, and cinnamon bark keep volatile oils much longer. Buy ground spices only in small, frequent amounts for best flavor.
How much bulk spice should I buy at once?
Buy only as much ground spice as you will use within a few weeks to a month. You can buy larger amounts of whole spices because they stay flavorful for years if stored properly.
How should I store spices at home?
Keep spices in airtight containers, away from heat, light, and moisture. Store whole spices in a cool, dark place and grind just before use when possible.
How long do spices retain their flavor?
Whole spices can stay flavorful for years. Ground spices lose volatile oils quickly and are best used within a month for peak flavor, though they remain safe to eat much longer.
Are old ground spices unsafe to eat?
No. Old ground spices usually do not make you sick. They simply taste weaker. Replace stale spices to restore full flavor in your cooking.
Are online spice shops better than buying from bulk bins?
Often yes. Reputable online spice sellers grind and blend frequently and ship fresh product. You get wider selection and more reliable freshness details than many local bulk bins.
Are bulk spices fresher than supermarket jar spices?
Often yes. Bulk bins at health food stores can be fresher than mass-produced supermarket jars, but it depends on how the store stores and rotates them. Always check when the spice was ground and how it is kept.
How can I tell if a bulk spice is fresh?
Smell and look. Fresh ground spices smell strong and bright in color. Ask staff: when was it ground, where was it ground, and how long has it been in the bin or jar. If staff cannot answer, buy a smaller amount or skip it.
Whole or ground: which should I buy?
Buy whole spices for long storage. Whole peppercorns, nutmeg, and cinnamon bark keep volatile oils much longer. Buy ground spices only in small, frequent amounts for best flavor.
How much bulk spice should I buy at once?
Buy only as much ground spice as you will use within a few weeks to a month. You can buy larger amounts of whole spices because they stay flavorful for years if stored properly.
How should I store spices at home?
Keep spices in airtight containers, away from heat, light, and moisture. Store whole spices in a cool, dark place and grind just before use when possible.
How long do spices retain their flavor?
Whole spices can stay flavorful for years. Ground spices lose volatile oils quickly and are best used within a month for peak flavor, though they remain safe to eat much longer.
Are old ground spices unsafe to eat?
No. Old ground spices usually do not make you sick. They simply taste weaker. Replace stale spices to restore full flavor in your cooking.
Are online spice shops better than buying from bulk bins?
Often yes. Reputable online spice sellers grind and blend frequently and ship fresh product. You get wider selection and more reliable freshness details than many local bulk bins.
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