Wasted $50 on bulk spices thinking I'd save money in the long run

I got this idea that buying spices in bulk from that discount store on Main Street would be a smart move. So I grabbed big bags of cumin, paprika, and cinnamon for around $50 total. But here's the thing, they sat in my cabinet for 6 months and most of them lost their flavor before I even got through half the bag. The cumin tastes like dirt now and the paprika is just orange dust. I ended up tossing about $30 worth of it because it just wasn't good anymore. Guess smaller jars from the regular store are actually the better deal for someone like me who cooks for one. Anyone else fall for the bulk buying trap?

3 comments

3 Comments

danielb431mo ago

Did you store them in those thin plastic bags they came in? Because yeah, that'll kill flavor fast. I buy bulk all the time, just transfer everything into glass jars or tins the same day I get home. I had a bag of smoked paprika last me nearly 18 months and it still had good punch because I kept it in a Mason jar in a dark cabinet. Cumin goes stale only if you let it sit in light and air. Sounds like you saved $20 upfront but lost it to bad storage, not a bad idea. Small jars are convenient but you're paying triple the price per ounce for the privilege.

evan_campbell1mo ago

Heard a buddy of mine try the same thing with a giant bag of oregano. He said it ended up tasting like dried grass clippings after a few months and he just felt dumb every time he opened the cabinet.

taylor66829d ago

Honestly, the oregano thing hits home because my giant bag of basil turned into nothing but dry leaves that smelled like a vacuum cleaner bag. I did the same thing, bought bulk thinking I was some genius saver, but those thin plastic bags just destroyed everything within a few months. Now I've got a cabinet full of sad, dusty jars I'm too stubborn to throw away yet.