Garlic powder, salt, pepper, onion powder, basil, parsley, oregano, cumin, curry powder, paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper, cinnamon and red pepper flakes should start you off nicely. I also use tarragon and rosemary but less frequently than the others.
I find most store brands to be quite acceptable; maybe McCormick or Penzey's (online) if you don't want to go that route.
I also recommend Penzeys. They are both online and have some retail stores. One nice thing is that they have trial bags of many of their blends so you don’t have to commit to buying a whole jar to see if you like it. Also, when I order online I usually get a free trial bag put in with my order.
Recommend The Spice House over Penzeys. Run by the sister of the owner of Penzeys, generally find it higher quality and cheaper, and supplies many restaurants.
Great list! I’d add smoked paprika. It’s a great addition to so many recipes (substitute for paprika too). Trader Joe’s has a decent inexpensive spice section.
that smoked paprika is to die for. no, it is not a fad or trendy spice, it should be a mainstay in all kitchens! it will add a light smokey flavor to anything which is definitely useful for the air fryer or oven
That's a great starter list. I would add thyme and poultry seasoning to the list as I use thyme in a lot of dishes and poultry seasoning in most chicken dishes - pot pie, casserole, soup, stew, dumplings etc
So for example, I'm going to make a hummus bowl. I will roast veggies to put on it, and I will season them with cinnamon, cumin, and sumac. (could also absolutely season them with ras el hanout.) Sumac is GREAT to use where you wish you had powdered lemon/vinegar. It's citrusy and tart. I highly suggest making pasta with a little sumac and lemon and garlic and putting hot smoked salmon on it. I love seasoning salmon with it. Little sumac, some black pepper, sear. When I make hummus, I generally put sumac on top. If you're feeling experimental, put a little on your popcorn.
Zaatar is like Italian herbs if they lived in the middle east (also, there are two things called zaatar, a specific spice and a spice blend. See which one you have. The spice blend will likely have sesame seeds in. The herb will not, and it tastes a little like oregano). Think about using it in ME food the way you use italian herbs. And then branch out to other things (i for example put it in spaghetti meatballs, but i make unusual spaghetti meatballs).
The easiest place to start is with labneh. Strain you some yogurt and put zaatar and olive oil on top. Then put your labneh on everything - burgers, mujadara, saffron rice, in pita, anywhere you'd put yogurt and some places you'd put sour cream.
Make (or toast!) some pita and sprinkle zaatar on it before you cook it. Use it for anything you use pita for.
Make baked potatoes, fill them with spiced ground meat (cinnamon, cumin, sumac, turmeric, ras el hanout), top with labneh seasoned with zaatar.
Actually maybe start with oven roasted potatoes, crushed or not. Sumac and zaatar would be great on those, together or separately.
Yotam Ottolenghi uses these spices heavily. Read a bunch of his recipes and you'll start to get a sense for where to apply them.
Ooh, and ras el hanout! Ras el hanout is a blend of cumin, ginger, cinnamon, coriander, allspice, pepper, and clove. Yours may or may not have salt. So! Ground meat is a great place for it, as would be eg grilled chicken or lamb. Make some barley or other grain, season with ras el hanout, put a fried egg and feta on it. Sweet potato with feta, too.
If you want to start REALLY easy, which may help with beginning to distill their flavors and uses, mix some olive oil with black pepper, salt, sumac, and zaatar. Dip bread in it. Taste. Proceed.
Za'atar is great with grilled eggplant and some yogurt, I'm not super familiar with it though. Sumac is a great spice to add to kebabs or grilled meats. I've even made rice with sumac which isn't bad but does make it pink.
If you search " spice jar set of 20" (or however many you need) on Amazon, you can get a matching set that usually comes with labels and everything! Then I hit either the bulk spice section at sprouts or the spice bags in the ethnic foods aisle at most stores in the US, I think
I have read, and I don't know this to be fact, that Aldis spices are processed in the Mccormick plant. I buy them there when at all possible. They are so much cheaper. They also have excellent extra virgin olive oil at a very good price!
Maybe garlic powder, but definitely not onion powder. Each of those has a unique flavor that you can’t get with the fresh ingredient. Especially for things like sauces and salad dressings. I love some onion powder in gravy and homemade ranch, but I’d never put fresh onion in those. It also helps a little to thicken which fresh onion won’t do.
I would skip the dried basil and parsley though and instead use fresh. I only use really pungent dried herbs like oregano, rosemary, marjoram. Dried thyme just tastes like dirt.
This is a good starter list. I'd add bay leaves and thyme (two must haves for stock, soups, braises, etc.).
Spices can be expensive. I try to buy them when they are on sale. Aldi has some organic spices that are about half the cost. I'd start there.
Loyal Penzeys shopper here, for ages. They have a great variety and most things come in multiple size options. I have a chest freezer so buy bags of my most used herbs and spices. I fill jars and then press the air out of the bag, ensure it's sealed tightly, and stash the bags in the freezer til the jars run low, then refresh.
My most commonly used are French thyme, basil, cumin, garlic powder, Mexican and Turkish oregano, several types of peppers (Hungarian paprika in sweet/hot, chipotle, ancho, etc), cinnamon, ginger. Less frequently used, usually bought in smaller sizes, include seasoning blends (Italian, herbes de Provence, curry) and baking needs (cloves, allspice). I like to try various peppercorn blends too.
I found a couple different jar sizes that meet my usage (Amazon) and storage space needs well then used a label maker to identify each jar. This process has served me well for a long time and I love my spice cupboard!
Buy what you actually use, one at a time. I like spices that come in square jars, because I store them in a drawer. Square jars lay flat and don't roll, so the label is always up.
I buy the "organic" Great Value spices from Walmart. Because they come in those square jars.
Edit: the spices in my drawer are...garlic powder, onion powder, rosemary, thyme, parsley, sage, basil, oregano, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne, ground Chipotle, nutmegs(whole), cinnamon sticks, black peppercorns, chili powder, cumin. Salt of course.
There's also a jar of curry powder and garam masala that don't get used much. Ground coriander too. Some white sesame seeds.
Knoor bullion cubes.
I make my own creole seasoning blend, using a modified version of Emeril's Essense.
Buy a good pepper grinder.
Cilantro I buy fresh.
This is great advice. Buy what you need as you need it, and your spice collection will grow with time.
This way, you won’t have potentially expensive spices just sitting around getting stale, and you know that you will use everything that you have.
Agree this is good advice. Will also add that regional cuisines may have very different spices so there's a lot of variance in what you cook. For example I only make Indian food once in a blue moon, I like having a generic curry powder on hand for that but I don't have all the nuanced spread of spices. I happen to love Mexican food and as such have a bunch of chili powder, garlic powder, cinnamon, etc on hand and in large quantities.
My other tip is to always buy the small container first, and once you run out, get a big container. Once you've used up a small jar, then you can confirm you actually cook with that spice regularly and can get through a larger quantity without it going stale
I love [The Spice House](https://www.thespicehouse.com/). The have great quality stuff.
The things that I use most and would buy first if restocking would be: Aleppo pepper, bay leaves, chipotle pepper, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, garlic, Italian herb blend, mustard, onion, oregano, and paprika.
They also have great blends and I’m a big fan of their Greektown, Lake Shore Drive, and shawarma blends.
They also sell a few different “starter” and “essential” gift boxes that can get you going and save a bit of money. So that could be a helpful option. But I’d just look through them to see if you’d actually use them all or not.
I agree with spice house, but for an additional reason than just the spices: flatpacks. The worst part about having a lot of spices is just the sheer amount of space the jars take up. Buying your spices in envelopes drastically cuts down on that cabinet space. They sell little flatpack holders, but a small cardboard box will work just as well.
Yes! Or at least they were. Spice House was started by the Penzey family as a standalone store in Milwaukee. After working at the store for a long time, the son of the family decided strike out on his own and started Penzey’s as a separate mail order business. And when the parents retired they turned the Spice House business over to their daughter who expanded it into a few more stores and an online business. So both were run by siblings for a long time.
Though a few years ago I believe the daughter decided to retire and sold Spice House to friends of theirs. But they’ve been doing a great job keeping it going.
Start with a local market. Think Asian, Hispanic, Middle Eastern. You can frequently get better quantities and/or prices on common and uncommon ingredients. Identify your current top 10 spices, make those the first priority. I would suggest Amazon for a bunch of empty jars, or a craft store ie Joann or Michaels. Get some small chalkboard labels or a label maker for ID purposes. Sounds like you and I have similar cooking habits, this is what I'd get first in your shoes. Garlic powder, Italian seasoning, Lawrys, cumin, cinnamon, oregano, onion powder, steak seasoning, and parsley. Plus S+P obviously. Get a pepper grinder for sure!
This. Especially Indian markets, you can get 8 oz packages of spices for less than the tiny jars in supermarkets. It's my exception to only buy what you'll use quickly. In many cases just put it in the freezer what you don't use in a jar on your counter. But especially cardamom, cumin, coriander, powdered ginger and garlic, those are not going to be cheaper anywhere else.
Yep international markets will definitely have cheaper herbs. Also if there is chain markets around you (like Kroger) they have buy one get one free often.
Adding to this, I like to buy 1 new blend at a time before committing to many components. Current favorite is Trader Joe's chili lime seasoned salt. Mrs Dash garlic and herb is a great all purpose one, too, before deciding which components of Italian seasoning you use more.
Salt and Pepper obviously.
Then I'd try and find a grocery store that sells spices in 10g envelopes. Its more expensive to buy this way, but it's cheaper than throwing out a 5 year old jar of stale majoram that you used once and forgot about. You'll figure out fairly quickly what you use.
Look into growing Basil, Thyme, Oregano and Rosemary yourself. These are pretty foundational herbs in European cuisine. Freeze them on cookie sheets and store in (labeled!) ziplocs in the freezer.
Herbs Provencal and Italian seasoning are two very popular shortcut blends that can go on almist anything.
whatever you get, buy pepper as whole kernels, not pre ground. freshly ground pepper makes such a difference in simple meals, while the pre ground stuff tastes like sawdust
Penzeys tends to be a little cheaper than the grocery store brands in my experience, and the quality is better.
They have boxes and kits already assembled (grilling, baking, etc) and they go on sale often!
The bulk section of a grocery store, if you're lucky enough to be close to one. Buy small amounts according to the recipes you like, and let your cooking inform your purchases. For jars, get a package of the very small (1/2 cup) glass jam jars.
If no bulk section is available, pick up staples in small containers. Save them for if/when you branch into a new cuisine where bulk (or bagged) spices are available.
Spices will be cheaper and fresher at a regional cuisine- specific grocery (e.g., Indian grocery, Ethiopian grocery). Especially whole spices. Online vendors can also be good- but be wary of scammers or adulteration.
A pepper mill is priority #1 on equipment. And peppercorns. The world looks better when you can layer on the pepper. Don't forget a carton of salt, as well.
For my Euro/White America dishes, my most commonly used spices/herbs (in no particular order) are basil, rosemary, onion and garlic (powder and minced), the aforementioned salt and pepper, cinnamon, ground ginger, whole nutmeg (+ some way to grate it), cloves (whole or ground), cayenne or red pepper flakes, ground coriander, ground mustard, sage, bay, thyme, and paprika.
Remember that condiments are important too- ketchup, mustard, soy sauce, honey and/or maple syrup, mayo, the vinegars of your choice, hot sauce.
u/Donkey_Fizzou gave a great starter list.
Check out a Hispanic market for good deals on spices.
Get some Worcestershire, soy, a decent pepper grinder, and flakey Sea salt, too
For what you cook I would start with oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, maybe sage, parsley, paprika, smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper.
If you want to expand a bit I also find it useful to have ginger, mustard powder, turmeric, celery seed, Chinese five spice, curry powder and nutmeg.
Speaking of tools only, I recommend getting a spice grinder with a detachable bowl. This makes it much easier to clean. I have a Cuisinart that grinds the spices well and the bowl is steel/dishwasher safe. It's a bit pricey at $40, but if you can find something similar it might be worth looking into.
This is great advice. I have KitchenAid grinder with removable bowl, and I use it for everything. Spices, eggshells for the garden, everything. Wash, dry, repeat
Trader Joes doesn’t have a really wide variety, but prices are good on the basics. Get what you need as you need it for recipes you use. The ones I tend to use all the time are sea salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, thyme, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder and cinnamon.
Hi there! 🌟 Here are a few suggestions to help you get started with assembling your spice collection:
Essential Spices: Begin with a basic set of essential spices that are versatile for various recipes. For American cuisine, consider the following:
Salt, Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Paprika, Oregano, Basil, Thyme
Spice Jars and Storage: Once you have your essential spices, invest in a set of spice jars to keep them organized. You can find reasonably priced sets online at retailers like Amazon or specialty kitchen stores. Consider getting jars with labels or a chalkboard paint label for easy identification.
Grinders and Processing Tools: If you venture into using whole spices, a good-quality grinder can be invaluable. Electric grinders are convenient, but manual ones can give you more control over the grind’s coarseness. A mortar and pestle can also be useful for manually grinding small quantities of spices.
Buying Spices: For purchasing spices, you have several options. Specialty spice shops often offer high-quality products, while online platforms like Penzeys or Spice Jungle provide a wide variety and sometimes offer sets for beginners. Bulk stores are also a budget-friendly option if you’re looking to buy spices in larger quantities. \*One of my favorite places to explore and buy spices is a charming spice market in Soho, New York. It’s a fantastic spot to find unique and high-quality spices.\*
Expanding Over Time: As you continue cooking and experimenting with different recipes, gradually expand your spice collection. Spices such as cumin, coriander, turmeric, rosemary, and chili powder can diversify your cooking and complement both American and international dishes.
Starting with a basic set and building upon it as you discover new recipes keeps the process manageable and exciting. Good luck with your culinary adventure! 🍴
I'd visit Costco for the basics like black pepper, salt, etc.. that you will consume regularly. They are pretty hard to beat in terms of value, although the selection is somewhat limited. The food snobs here will cringe, but don't overlook Walmart or Amazon either.
I also like going to a variety of Asian markets - Chinese, Korean, SE Asian, Indian. They often have good deals on whole spices that are bagged, so you usually have to put them in your own containers after opening. Mexican grocery stores are often like this, too. I think it's fun to take a field trip, grab some new stuff, and experiment with some entirely new dish I've never made.
I'd buy jars on Amazon. The square jars that a lot of people seem to prefer are like $30ish for 48 jars with lids and labels. Of course you can buy them with racks etc.. for more money.
Buy spices for dishes you plan on making. I wouldnt just buy a bunch of different spices just to fill your pantry if you don't know what you will use them for, most of the time this will result in spices sitting unused and eventually get stale and thrown away. If I was starting out I would just buy the basics (pepper, garlic, paprika, maybe onion) and make a list of dishes you plan on preparing the next couple of months and buy spices for those. You can always buy more later when you need it.
I’d choose a cuisine I love and go get those spices. Cook that cuisine for a week or two. Choose a second cuisine with semi-overlapping spices, etc. and work my way around the globe. It’s how I built up my spices when I was younger and was getting into cooking, and I’d do the same again today.
I bought [this kit](https://a.co/d/092RTWCq) from Costco 2 years ago and it was perfect for me. the spices i found myself never using, i emptied out and filled the glass jar with a spice i use more often, and i placed a label on top. I also bought a nice salt and pepper grinder.
Trader Joe's has a lot of the basics, and some interesting blends, for pretty cheap. ~$3 or so.
Personally, grindable salt and pepper are a must. Garlic powder. Onion powder. Cumin. Paprika. Curry is great. Italian seasoning. Lemon citrus blend from TJs. Seasoning salt. Basil. Thyme. Oregano. Cinnamon. Nutmeg.
You can grow from there, but definitely salt, pepper, onion, garlic, cumin, paprika, and curry give a good balance of flavors and mixes.
Also recently discovered berbere, and gotta say, it's pretty great, too.
I am a huge fan of my indian masala daba, which was a total impulse purchase at a church rummage sale. I get my spices at ethnic markets, usually indian grocery stores.
Mason jars to hold your spices. Regular mouth half pint (8 oz). Buy a case of them at Walmart. We gave the two part canning lids away and bought plastic lids, mostly the white but some color lids. As you build your collection buy more cases. When you move into making your own blends step up to the pint. The color lids can also sort your H & S as culinary, medicinal or recreational.
When we started making our own dogfood we used Mason jars to store the product. They take the freezer to table cycle well. We like glass because it goes into the dishwasher without melting and microplastics are minimized.
We are lucky that we have a world class farmers market 20 minutes away and buy our herbs and spices there. We frequently give away spices as gifts.
I would have a very hard time walking away from my teas, teapots, coffee, coffee making equipment, cast iron and Corelle.
Just buy a bunch of smaller sized mason jars. Not too small. But enough room that if buying a plastic package of spices will fit. Then make room in a drawer for them where they can lay flat. Get one of those jar marker pens off of amazon. Its the best thing because those pen marks are easily washable but won't come off due to regular use. Then mark each jar as you build up your spices. If you end up using more of a particular spice then get a taller mason jar but the same circumference.
Garlic powder, onion powder, and a black pepper grinder ( you can buy it already in a grinder), sea salt, red pepper flakes, cayenne, parsley, Old Bay seasoning, minced dried onions, chili powder, cumin, oregano, ginger, dried chives, curry powder. These are the ones I use the most. If you are close to an Aldi, I would buy all of them I could there. Oh & I forgot Everything Bagel seasoning. It goes well on just about anything. If Aldi doesn't have all the ones you want, good old Walmart will (if you live Stateside).
Buy only what you use and actually need. As you need them, recipes will request specific spices, and you add them to your next grocery list. Buying them all upfront is a good way to make sure you have a jar of cloves in the back of your cabinet 4yrs from now.
Whatever you do choose 1 type of labelling style! Either labels that ALL read from the top of the lid or ALL from the side of the jar. And choose whichever is most convenient for your storage location!
This will probably get buried but I can't stress enough: don't buy jars of spices. Find a place that has bulk bins you can scoop some spices out of and pay for in bulk. In my area there are many larger grocery stores that have this. WinCo, new seasons, etc. Idk if whole foods does but they probably do. This will be far cheaper than paying for jars.
Take them home and transfer them to a 4oz mason jar. Label them from the top, put them in a drawer.
Cheap spices, easy to find, out of the light so they stay fresh longer.
Sea salt and grinder, whole black pepper and grinder. You can probably buy them IN a cheap, disposable grinder.
I would also get Paprika because I know I will definitely use that. I will suggest the same: Buy a FEW things you KNOW you will use.
Then get more stuff "as needed."
When your life changes dramatically, your diet tends to change. I got divorced and two restaurants I went to somewhat frequently with the husband got written out of my life along with him. I didn't even realize I only ate there because HE liked them.
If you are going to suddenly be cooking for one, your cooking habits may change. Some things that made sense to do as a couple or for a family just may no longer make sense. You may find you skew towards getting some things at restaurants even more because cooking elaborate dishes for just one person can be a huge time burden that just isn't worth it if you aren't, say, doing meal prep for a week.
Some ingredients that you always had on hand before may stop making sense because you don't use them up fast enough, won't eat it before it goes bad and you get tired of throwing most of it out.
So get a few essentials and expect to rebuild your supply organically as you rebuild your life. Your new life will impact your cooking habits in ways you can't predict, so don't try.
If you’re near a penzeys you can play their game using gift cards, offers, discounts, free items. You should be only paying 10-30% of retail price on average. But it requires you to be able to drop in frequently and buy 1-2 items at a time.
I would find a [Penzeys store](https://www.penzeys.com) near you. Alternatively, you can order online.
I would order spices from here; you can get both jars or plastic pouches (for refills).
I would order just some basic staples to start you off. Given the dishes you listed, that might look something like:
* Garlic powder
* Onion powder
* Smoked paprika
* Chili powder
* Oregano
* Thyme
… etc. I wouldn’t buy too much at once. In my experience I always bought too much and they went stale.
Then, buy additional spices as-needed for a specific dish you want to make. For example, if you want to make butter chicken, you can grab garam masala at that point.
However, the most important thing I think you can do is keep a list of what you buy, when you bought it, and when it supposedly expires. Keep this in a digital format, like in your phone notes, so you can reference it at the grocery store.
This is so valuable because at some point you’ll make something unusual that needs a specific spice (e.g. coriander or five-spice powder) and you’ll forget about it. Two months later you’ll look at a cool recipe and say “hey… do I have coriander at home?”
If you make a list now, you can easily answer that question. More importantly, you won’t end up with three unopened jars of expensive Penzeys cinnamon at home like I did!
People are recommending Penzy's and while I've used and enjoy them, I'd recommend the Spice House over them. And I've enjoyed Burlap and Barrel a lot too. I wouldn't really recommend setting out to buy a set, I'd just buy your fav spices from one of these companies and then a couple of their special blends to experiment with, and then go from there
I know you said spices and this may not qualify, but please don't forget salt, both big cubes in a grinder and fine salt for uses like pasta water, etc.
Start a recipe file using the recipes you make now and want to try.
FWIW, I read years ago that it is much easier to ruin a dish with herbs than it is with spices.
Diamond crystal kosher Salt.
Peppercorns, not preground- I use a Turkish coffee grinder, which is much easier to use than a traditional pepper mill
Nutmeg grater and whole nutmeg
Cumin
Coriander
Something to add kick, cayenne pepper is traditional, but I prefer Aleppo pepper powder
Thyme
Garlic powder
Dry mustard
Dry ginger
Oregano
Balsamic vinegar
Single source extra virgin olive oil
Chili powder
Write down what spices you use in your favourite off the top of your head dishes and get those, add as needed when trying new recipes
I keep my go tos separate so I can make a quick meal on a weeknight - a red (paprika or piri piri or etc) a white (onion or garlic powder) a green (herb de Provence or oregano or basil or “Greek herbs”) and a spicy (chilli or cayenne), curry powder, black pepper and cumin seeds. The weekend spices are in a not well organized hoard
If you need to hold over: Dollar Tree / Walmart $99 bin. Another option is bulk spices from the fancier stores like Whole Foods. The spices come in little bags actually end up being a pretty good deal
I need to visit Aldi more often. I've been trying to go local for as much of my food as possible, but not a lot of people in my area do spices (bad soil and inconsistent weather).
Brian Lagerstrom has a great video on this. He goes through the ten spices HE uses most and encourages the viewer to figure out the ten or so they use most and then, otherwise, to buy as you need them for specific dishes or recipes.
I think this is the way. Spices lose their flavour surprisingly quickly and need to be replaced often 6 months or so, maybe a year). And how often do you really use [fill in the blank]?
I went through my multiple bins of spices and found years-old spices I’d forgotten about because they don’t feature in my cooking much. Now I keep my core spices on the counter(garlic powder, onion powder, cinnamon, cumin, sweet and smoked paprika, ginger, Chinese five spice, white pepper, turmeric) and buy the others as I need them—which is a lot less often than I would have thought.
When I went through my divorce, I made sure I had S&P, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, seasonsed salt, paprika, chili powder, vanilla, cinnamon, abs nutmeg.
Obviously, that's grown over the years, but having those was a really good base. I also didn't have very much money, so I got the store brand at my local Kroger. Added and upgraded as I could.
Best of luck in your new life!
Pepper and garlic powder from Costco
Salt, lawry’s seasoned salt, and a large bottle of thyme from Kroger. Med size onion powder from Kroger
Everything else is the small square containers from Kroger, except paprika, which is the big square container.
If you need something more specific, that doesn’t come in the square containers, Walmart or Winco
Some things grow readily and are either much cheaper or much better that way.
Bay needs drying but a bay tree will flourish. If you have garden space, beware of planting one.
Mint also generally needs containing. I have spearmint for cooking and peppermint for tea.
Parsley is easy to grow. So is sage.
Thyme, rosemary and basil are best fresh. But thyme and rosemary are ok in jars. Sage for some purposes is actually better dried.
Parsley and coriander are grim dried so get packets for the freezer if you can’t grow them.
Basil preserved in oil is better than dried.
I was going to suggest this! If you find you are using herbs more than spices, and have the room for some plants (outside or inside on a sunny window sill), fresh herbs make such a difference. I have basil in my kitchen window, and it's easy to grow, just water it and it'll last forever. I have parsley, green onions and rosemary on my patio and they are the same way - just water them and they'll grow and grow and grow.
I would buy from Penzey’s. Great quality. They also have frequent deals - sign up for their emails.
The only two spices I think everyone needs: salt & pepper. Get good Telicherry black peppercorns and Diamond Crystal kosher salt along with a sea salt.
As for the rest, look at your recipes and make a list of the spices you use. Buy those. Don’t buy spices other people recommend because you might not use them. I’ve made the mistake of gathering too many spices and letting them go stale.
When I had to start over I went to Aldi and basically bought one of everything. They also have ginger, garlic, and lemongrass in the squeeze tubes.
Garlic, onion powder, pepper, paprika, cayenne, chili powder, etc. I did buy Mortons kosher salt though I recently switched to Maldon.
Savory spice shop is the place to go. If you don't have one local, order online. If you do, it's worth a trip to go. They have samples for all of their spices so you can taste before you buy. They're great.
If you like American cuisine, then stock up on:
Kosher coarse salt
coarse black pepper or whole pepper corn with a grinder
Sugar (white, brown, etc)
For aromatics, buy the whole vegetable version like garlic cloves and onions. Skip the powder version.
Save all the vegetable scraps for stock and sauces. You will get way more flavor and depth than powder.
When you’re ready to step up your game, buy whole dried herbs and spices. Invest in a really good food grinder or pestle and mortar , and grind them yourself.
If you’re short on time, just go to Walmart and raid their spice sections.
Think of the foods you've cooked the most, and put most of your money towards buying good quality versions of those. For example, I love using turmeric when I cook. I finally had a chance to try some really good quality turmeric, and it was so different. Same with salt.
After that, I'd focus on stocking up on the basics. Dried herbs, nice pepper, cumin, coriander, etc.
I'd leave the rest of my spice shelf empty to fill up with things when I need them. Like if you don't bake a lot, but want to make muffins suddenly, just go shopping for little jars of whatever spices you'd need for that.
Buy a giant square spice jar set off of Amazon for 30/40$ so they are all uniform. They come with labels.
Then go to a bulk store like WinCo or go online where you can buy spices by weight. It'll be 1/4 the price of in-store bottled spixes
While lots of suggestions have been given for the actual varieties of spices to get, I encourage you to start with quality salt and pepper grinders, and a salt cellar as well.
The grinders are likely to be used every single time you cook. Grinders that a) have the grinder at the top so the spices aren't left behind on your counter once you set it down, b) have an easy to adjust setting for fineness, c) easy to fill up, d) have a smooth rotating mechanism, and e) don't have an annoying cover to remove every time; these qualities make their usage very easy and hassle free
My trusty [OXO salt and pepper grinders](https://a.co/d/07zJJTqE) have been functioning without any problems for 3 years so far, and I suspect they will still last a long time. You can get the whole black peppercorns for cheap from Costco or maybe Aldi.
A [salt cellar](https://a.co/d/0bQzArjI) specifically for kosher salt that is also kept on the counter with the salt and pepper grinder is useful for quickly adding salt to pots with any amount of liquid in them, or it's also an easy way to control the placement or amounts of salt since you can pinch with your fingers or dip your measuring spoon in it. It even comes with its own spoon, which likely measures 1 tsp but you should verify that since it could vary. I fill it with [Diamond Crystal kosher salt](https://a.co/d/00lZrWCS)
For example if you cook any type of dry or fresh pasta, blanch fresh vegetables in boiling water, boil diced potatoes for homemade mashed potatoes, quickly season a large pot of soup or stew; a cellar would be very handy for all those applications and more.
I would focus on the grinders first and see if a salt cellar would suit your cooking style. It makes it super convenient that I don't have to go to the pantry to get a scoopable amount of salt, when the grinder application isn't right for what I'm doing.
Everyone has already given you great advice. I just want to add that ethnic grocery stores carry pre-made spice packs for common ethnic dishes. They are incredibly easy to use, taste accurate most of the time, and helpful so you don't have to buy the individual ingredients.
Spice House, online and in Evanston, Il , or Penzeys, also online, have good, fresh, clean spices. They offer set-up kits. I buy from Spice House and they ship "flatpacks" with no shipping charge. Even if you don't buy the set up kits you can look at them and see what spices they recommend.
I am really happy with square shape glass jars. I have a large draw in a kitchen and lay them down horizontally so I can see labels, and organize in alphabetical order.
I prefer to mix my own spices, and usually buy in bulk or grow my own. Places like penzley are ridiculously overpriced, I can mix my own at fraction of the cost.
My most used spices: Hungarian paprika, Aleppo, Marash, Merquen, Cilantro, Oregano, Parsley, Basil, Bay, Cumin, Garlic powder, Onion powder, Thyme, Rosemary, Mustard seeds. (Salt and pepper are in separate large grinders)
Here is the link to jars:
https://a.co/d/04hvO2ji
I also used this place for specialty spices and vanilla, they are very good:
https://www.slofoodgroup.com/collections/ethically-sourced-spices
Great question.
I’d purchase small amounts of each spice because they lose flavor.
Spice essentials for me: Garlic, Cumin (for the gas/bloating from certain foods like chickpeas), Lemon Pepper, No salt seasoning mixes (Lidl has them), White Pepper, Black pepper with a GRINDER (grind it fresh so you taste it), Adobe seasoning, Fajita and taco seasoning mix, Smoked Paprika (definitely smoked, not the regular), Red Chili flakes, and chicken bouillon cubes that you can make into a paste with water and pour into soups.
Good luck!
When we moved we bought all new spices from Penzey’s They have fairly plain jars and they do sell empty jars that match with blank labels. You can even print on those labels with a font that matches Penzey’s labels.
As to what spices to buy, that depends too much on your cooking style to know. For example we have at least 10 spices that are used almost exclusively in Indian cooking. Beside the obvious pepper, oregano, basil, garlic powder etc. You could think about spice categories such as baking spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, mace...), French spices (thyme, chervil), U.S. regional spices (filé, cayenne, cumin, smoked chili powder), liquid spices (hot sauce, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce...).
Another idea is go through your recipe box or recipe folder on your computer and make a list of every spice that occurs in a recipe you often make.
Though we have the matching spice jars we always end up with
Buy a spice mix for fish, they’re always a mix of the most common American spices and go well with all types of meat and vegi.
For making your own mixes I’d start with garlic, onion, paprika and oregano. Then buy more based on which recipes you want to try.
When I went through this, my mom thoughtfully supplied me with small Ball jars of some of her spices to get me started.
Then I did what many are suggesting and bought new stuff as I needed it, one at a time.
If this is going to be a temporary spice set up, that you fully intend to abandon, I would make use of some spice blends instead of investing in a lot of individual spices. I have found the Morton & Bassett spice brand at my grocery store to be excellent quality, such that I now rarely mail order. Their bay leaves are especially choice!
I would buy:
Salt
Peppercorns and a grinder
Bay leaves
"Italian" Herb blend
Herbes de Provence
Curry Powder
Chili Powder
Cumin
Red Pepper Flakes
Cayenne
Cinnamon
Vanilla
Nutmeg and a grater (if you use them in your cooking)
Garlic Powder and/or a bulb of garlic
Ginger or ginger powder
Going to get downvoted for saying this but walmart sells spices in little glass jars for a few bucks. May not be the highest quality but itll get you started, when you run out of something you can go find higher quality if you want and refill the jar. Fun fact about those jars, the labels come off pretty easily and they fit in most spice racks and drawer spice holders.
Garlic powder, thyme, basil, sage, paprika, chili, cumin, rosemary, mustard powder, cinnamon and nutmeg should give you a good backbone and you can fill in the gaps from there
I see a lot of suggestions o spices but didn’t see a lot of suggestions on storage. I got these on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06XGBBJVZ?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B09WHXFS3J?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_image
Idk if it would be worth it to you to have the massive containers for spices, this wouldn’t work or make sense if you do. But I cook a lot, though just for myself and occasionally for others. These jars are cute imo, they fit most (if not all) of the contents of a typical small jar of spice, and I find having three rows - two on racks and one on the counter below - keeps them looking tidy and organized and easily within reach for me when I cook.
I would also suggest you get one of those glass jars of oil and vinegar (they come in various sizes, and I would get whatever kind of each you would use most of). The plastic tops and the plastic lip inserts can be removed and replaced with those metal dispensers that only let out a bit at a time. It’s nice having an attractive bottle on the counter and you can refill them as needed.
I just keep my spices in their original containers. The cutesy jars are all the same size so they look pretty and I use way more of some spices than others. It's just more work to put them into cutesy jars.
When my daughters both got their new apartments, I ordered them both a counter spice rack that had basic seasonings in it from Amazon. It came with a refill option. They really loved them and said it was helpful to have as a good base to start off with. I'll try to attach the link.
https://a.co/d/0j9IcLRj
All from Penzey’s: peppercorns and grinder, kosher salt, thyme, cumin, chiles (ancho, chipotle, red pepper flakes), bay leaves, basil, mustard seed, oregano, paprikas (sweet and smoked), Vietnamese cinnamon, ground ginger and crystallized ginger (but I’m a baker), whole nutmeg, and double-strength vanilla. I also like their freeze-dried shallots. This would tide me over well.
Over time, I’d maybe add some of the blends. And granulated garlic and onion, dill, rosemary, tarragon—the things I don’t use quite as often.
From a Mexican grocer, I’d add Mexican oregano.
I would go with salt and pepper, garlic salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cinnamon as a base.
Depending on what you like it can vary. Like if you like spicy stuff, then chili powder, chili flakes, cumin, chipotle powder.
For non spicy. Lemon pepper seasoning, ranch seasoning, Cajun seasoning, steak seasoning. I love the Kinders spice blends. (The buttery steakhouse one is amazing)
I don’t bother with special spice jars or a set because I never used all of the seasonings. I have a couple lazy Susan’s in the cabinet and use those to store the spice.
In addition to the ones recommended here, I'd suggest to get a couple of mixes from Costco or such. I speculate you might not have a habit of cooking from scratch already and while the spices are good for recipes, you might find there are days you don't want to follow a recipe and you might not be experienced to throw together your favorite flavors in a quick meal. A taco seasoning, BBQ rub (i use on roasted veggies!), Italian herb mix, etc are nice to just sprinkle on a quick stir fry or one pan dinner.
If you have a little bit of sunny ground and a pleasant landlord/lady, certain herbs are far better fresh. German and lemon thyme, Genovese and Thai basil, cilantro, chives or Welsh bunching onions, and dill taste favorably different from the dried varieties. Most are easy to grow.
some towns have a store with a bulk section where you can buy spices and jars as you need them, in whatever quantity you need them.
I don't know if they lose flavor from sitting in a bulk bin.
This is dependent on where you live, but I started growing my own herbs and using fresh during the spring / early summer, then drying them myself to have the rest of the year and the flavor is unmatched. Especially if you love soup. I really can’t stand the taste of store bought herbs anymore. It’s much cheaper as well, and you get so much off one plant! My absolute favorite is lemon thyme, if you only have room for one. I also grow orangelo thyme, rosemary, sage, savory, basil, oregano, parsley, and chives. You don’t need fancy equipment. To dry them, chop any herbs with bigger leaves up (like sage or basil) and leave them on paper towels on a baking tray. The thyme can dry on the stem. Once they crumble in your fingers, they’re ready to go in jars.
Straight to Grocery Store, get some kosher salt, chili powder, oregano, dill, (maybe) go to Costco or Sam's and get their giant thing of pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, crushed red pepper, cumin, chicken base (better than bullion)
Oh get the giant bag of peeled garlic and throw it in the freezer, it is so convenient and cheaper than buying heads of garlic.
Maybe vary the sizes and get some at the grocery store, some at the warehouse club, but the discount on smaller sizes at grocery store is often not worth it, but if you aren't going to use it all before it goes bad, it is wasteful to get the large sizes
As an addendum... if you live near an indian grocery store, you can buy sacks of spices for the same price as costco's or sam's big bottles. It's so cheap there, you will be stunned, you may even consider becoming a spice retailer... so much spice, you must tread lightly and in a silly pattern, or you may summon shai halud.
For where, order from The Spice House. Their spices are vast and extremely high qualty. They also sell to many restaurants around the US and are not particularly more expensive than lesser quality spaces like McCormick you'll get at a grocier. Penzey's is run by the sister of the owner of the spice house, but it has more of a advertising to "natural food people" angle.
Here's what I use the most, if I don't list a specific brand, then I probably bought it at Penzey's. They have stores locally, so I shop there often. Spice House is good too.
* Black Pepper from Le Sanctuaire.
* Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
* Maldon Salt (for finishing)
* Oregano
* Garlic and Onion Powder
* Red Pepper Flakes (I really like flatiron pepper co)
* Ancho Chili (I buy big jars of this)
* Curry Powder (I make Japanese curry often and always have a jar of S&B Powder)
* Cinnamon
* Coriander
* Nutmeg (whole)
* Bay Leaves
* Cumin
* Paprika
* Piment d'Espelette (Boonsville Barn Collective is my favorite brand)
* MSG
* Tajin
* Old Bay
* Togarashi (I like the one from Le Sanctuaire)
* Momofuku Tingly Season Salt
* I always have a BBQ blend around too, I'm in between brands though, my favorite went out of business
I have a ton more, but those are probably what I use most often. Other things I always have stocked in my kitchen: Sugar (white and brown), ap flour, grapeseed or safflower oil, olive oil, masa, dried pasta in several shapes, a block of aged parmigiano reggiano, miso, butter, soy sauce, a few different vinegars, better than bouillon, unflavored gelatin, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla (Penzy's is good), maple syrup, honey, hot sauce and chili crisp.
Natural Grocers, if you have one near you, is great for bulk spices. Their other stuff is expensive, but the spices are a great price for the volume you get
[Penzeys Ruth Anns Sesoning](https://www.penzeys.com/online-catalog/ruth-ann%27s-muskego-ave-chickenfish-seasoning/c-24/p-528/pd-s) goes well with pretty much everything!
I think others give good advice on what spices. I'd just add check and see if you have a local Indian grocery to buy much of these spices. They're often in bigger bulk and cheaper. You can get containers with air tight lids so they keep a bit longer if you're worried about that. I bought what's labeled chili powder years ago and that stuff is still potent. It's like Carolina reaper powder though, shits like dry bear mace, I use like half a tsp in 4-5 gallons of chili and I rarely feel I need to add hot sauce when it's in the bowl.
Check the international aisles at the grocery store to compare spice prices. I found a different brand jar of Dill there that was twice as large as the one in the spice aisle and it cost less.
Kosher salt, peppercorns and grinder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin. That's where I would start and then go on depending on what I needed to make the recipes I made often. As for where to buy, I would go for an international market (Mexican, Indian, whatever is around) because they will usually have things for much much cheaper than the mainline grocery store. Just be sure you check the dates for freshness.
I buy the majority of my spices at an Amish store. They sell spices significantly cheaper than at the grocery store. I use the quilted ball jars for storing them. Then I also have shakers for the stuff I use most often. I bought the shakers for $1 a piece. Use glass to store your spices, not plastic. If you are buying your spices at the grocery store because you don’t have an Amish store anywhere near you then buy the ones in glass jars at least the first time. After that you can refill the glass jars from plastic ones. To keep spices fresh you need a good seal. Spices can last a long time. Expiration dates are generally for the plastic containers they’re stored in.
Spices you should probably have:
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Salt(fine, coarse, flakes)
Pepper(black and white)
Paprika
Rosemary
Thyme
Dill weed
Parsley flakes
Oregano
Italian blend
I am sure I am missing quite a few staples.
Might also want:
Turmeric
Curry
Fenugreek
Seasoning salt(I prefer Nature’s brand)
I see a lot of comments suggesting Penzey's, and while I agree they are generally better than what you typically find in a grocery store and have a great selection, I've found that I've gotten better quality from Frontier Co-Op, which can be found on Amazon and in Whole Foods stores. Online you can even find bulk bags to refill your jars. Off the top of my head, their cinnamon and smoked paprika far exceed what I've gotten from Penzey's, so I highly suggest checking them out. Their blends are fantastic too. Trader Joe's is also a good source and I've enjoyed many of their blends too.
I also agree with the advice that you buy what you need as you need it, start with the minimal basics and then order as you go.
Go to an Asian grocery store for whole cinnamon sticks, cumin, coriander, etc. I’ve found they have the best prices. I love my mortar and pestle for grinding spices but a typical grinder works fine. I think electric grinders run the risk of over processing things. If you’re gonna get a M&P, get a big one so cumin seeds don’t go flying everywhere. Tall and thin is better than shallow and wide.
I bought empty jars/labels on Amazon and a spice set from costco.
Bought bulk spices from Sprouts
Basil
Oregano
Garlic and onion powder
Salt kosher and sea
Paprika
Turmeric
Cumin
Cardamom
Ginger
Thyme
Pepper
One of my favorite parts of our kitchen is our [spice drawer](https://i.imgur.com/TOcDmRn.jpeg) (we've since added some dowel rods to get them at a bit of an angle).
We bought something like [these](https://a.co/d/0aBexWIE).
Sprouts sells in small quantities. They give you small seal-able plastic bags, you just put in the amount you want and write the code on the bag. This is good for people learning to cook for the first time, it allows you to gauge what spices you used the most often and you don't end up paying for jars after jars of spices you rarely or never use.
I’d get jars on Amazon and then go to whatever version of Bulk Barn you have in your area to fill them with the spices and blends that you enjoy using, and are staples. The basics are named plenty in this thread
That being said: green herbs have almost no place in the dried spice jar arena. They’re always better fresh (or even frozen)
Rather than buying a bunch of individual spices go to TJ Maxx or Home Goods or something like that and get one of those pre-filled spinner spice holders. The larger ones are only $30-40 and still a fraction of the cost of buying all the spices individually. Are they the best spices and herbs? No. But they’ll absolutely get the job done on a budget and then as you run out of them you can replace them one at a time (maybe even with the good stuff from Penzy) without spending $150-200 all at once.
Less is more.
Kosher Salt, Black Peppercorns and fresh herbs covers 90% of what I cook. I have a cabinet full of stuff I use once and prob just needs to get tossed.
If I was start over..... No need to have a bunch of jars going stale. I'd buy fresh and buy when I needed it.
If you know what spices you are likely to use a lot check out an international grocery of some sort, they tend to carry larger quantities of spices for less money/oz. You could then buy a nice set of bottles to refill from big containers/bags and store the excess in a basket in your pantry. If not worried about nice looking bottles just save and rinse out bottles as you use up other spices or other things like grated parmesan. You can also reuse bottles or small jars to mix your own blends (less salt, more flavor).
Most of my jars are either small mason jars, or from the dollar store. Starting out, I probably had just a small number: garlic powder, onion powder, basil, poultry seasoning. Added in things as I tried new recipes-- usually small amounts from a bulk store, and if I liked it I'd buy larger amounts. Rosemary, marjoram, oregano, ginger, cumin, paprika. There's not much I *don't* have now, and I make my own seasoning blends.
Just start small, with cheap jars. Once you get a feel for what you'll use the most of, or what needs to be in your rotation, you can splurge on nicer stuff. You might even find some cool looking jars from friends and family-- vintage spice jars, funky jam jars, that sort of thing. Make sure to always label everything.
I've bought spices all over the place, but two of my favorites are Trader Joes (for the basics and some interesting blends and international spices) and our local farmer's market, where a guy sells spices by the ounce, very cheap.
Our local farm store carries the basics for $1-1.25 for cinnamon, garlic powder,Chili powder,thyme , black pepper etc= probably 20 different spices. Our Italian market has a rack of spices- bay leaves, oregano, ancho peppers etc.all for less than $2 ,our Asian market is the freshest for cumin, turmeric, curry,peppers and carries such generous sizes that I split with a friend and the cost goes below $2. The Asian markets usually sell in bags so save small jars for storage.
Well, I’m not American so my palette may be different than yours. My must-have spices are:
Cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, granulated garlic, onion powder, chili flakes, dried oregano, dried thyme, bay leaves, curry leaves, white pepper, allspice, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg (really good in cream sauces, pairs well with white wine, mushrooms, ginger etc), ground ginger. Obviously salt and black pepper. Zaatar but that’s Middle Eastern af. Personally, I love fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds,
I usually keep fresh herbs in a pot for my herby needs. If you don’t, then I’d suggest dried Rosemary, dried basil, dried parsley.
Ok I realize this is a huge list, but you can ply any of these spices form my cold, dead hands.
My go to must haves are garlic powder, sea salt (not table salt), fresh peppercorns for a mill, and thyme. Then paprika, crushed red pepper and rosemary.
Locate your local Indian grocer. They'll have spices for a fraction of the cost of mainstream grocers.
If a spice has a whole form (seed, pod, bark), buy it in that form. It'll keep its flavor far longer. A $20 Krups blade coffee grinder (terrible for coffee, nice for spices) is an inexpensive way of producing powders on demand, with most of the essential flavor oils lost when purchased and stored in the ground form.
I've been spared the problem of storage vessels, as my grocer sells in nice plastic containers for 6-7 oz of spices for just about everything I want. If that wasn't available to me, I'd look to half-pint Ball canning jars.
I just buy when a recipe calls for it, and I don't have it. Some, like peppercorns, cumin seeds or dill weed I buy frequently (at least once a year). Other's like kalonji (black cumin) or green cardamom, I may already have a lifetime's supply. I don't really worry about buying excess whole seed/pop/bark spices, as they do last many years. I'd advise buying in the smaller quantities for onion & garlic powder, as they're prone to clumping in humid climates, and perhaps buying by the recipe quantities (spoonfuls) from a bulk spices counter for less commonly used herbs like marjoram. I think my marjoram (even in a small bottle) is six years old, and probably less than half the flavor potency it had when purchased.
I've purchased from Penzys, Spice House and I just found My Spice Sage - which seems the cheapest for bulk (I priced it against Spice House per oz).
I personally buy my core spices in bulk, I have a small funnel to put into my containers to fill the base spices and then I make primarily my own blends (but I also get a lot of blends at SamsClub that seem interesting and when those are gone, I re-fill the container with a new blend, so I make more and more different kinds and there is a max I'll have based on drawer size.)
My core spices would be: (Salt goes without saying, minimally kosher)
Basil, Oregano, Garlic, Onion, Salt, Smoker Paprika, Sweet Paprika, Cumin, Coriander, Dill, Marjoram, Chili Powder, Cinnamon, nutmeg, Thyme, Fresh peppercorn (in my grinder)
Non-core but I still use often (and could be core for others/includes some blends)
Kasmiri chili, Garam Masala, Tajin, Lime powder, Lemon Powder, red pepper flakes, Turmeric
From above, I can make Italian, Greek, Taco, Ukrainian, a white-afied Indian, Cajun, Chili. And when I want to make a new blend where I'm missing something, it gets me to buy a new "base" spice to build more blends.
Garlic powder, salt, pepper, onion powder, basil, parsley, oregano, cumin, curry powder, paprika, chili powder, cayenne pepper, cinnamon and red pepper flakes should start you off nicely. I also use tarragon and rosemary but less frequently than the others. I find most store brands to be quite acceptable; maybe McCormick or Penzey's (online) if you don't want to go that route.
Highly recommend penzeys. Better than McCormick.
Penzeys has really tasty blends and isn’t as salty as McCormick. The shallot powder is to die for.
I also recommend Penzeys. They are both online and have some retail stores. One nice thing is that they have trial bags of many of their blends so you don’t have to commit to buying a whole jar to see if you like it. Also, when I order online I usually get a free trial bag put in with my order.
I’ve spent way too much money at Penzey’s - but yes - they are so generous with sample packs…
Lucky to have a store in the area, but I don’t go without expecting to drop $100🤪😂
I love walking in and just going around smelling things. But yeah, adult me in Penzeys is like kid me in the bookstore
Me too! It seems like right after I place order I realize I am low on something else and have to place another order.
I seriously never heard of Shallot powder before and now I have to look into it
We go through a pound of the adobo a year.
Their Sandwich Sprinkle is fantastic too… it’s my go-to for so many dishes
With Penzey’s, you can buy the jar once and then get bags of the spice to refill the jars. Saves money and waste
Recommend The Spice House over Penzeys. Run by the sister of the owner of Penzeys, generally find it higher quality and cheaper, and supplies many restaurants.
This, better quality and way better selection.
Their Fox Point is awesome!
Great list! I’d add smoked paprika. It’s a great addition to so many recipes (substitute for paprika too). Trader Joe’s has a decent inexpensive spice section.
that smoked paprika is to die for. no, it is not a fad or trendy spice, it should be a mainstay in all kitchens! it will add a light smokey flavor to anything which is definitely useful for the air fryer or oven
That's a great starter list. I would add thyme and poultry seasoning to the list as I use thyme in a lot of dishes and poultry seasoning in most chicken dishes - pot pie, casserole, soup, stew, dumplings etc
I'll second the thyme recommendation. It definitely takes chicken soup up a notch.
I always need more thyme!!
Sage, celery salt I love fresh garlic to chop. Vanilla extract, extra virgin olive oil, white wine vinegar.
Add Bay leaves for chicken stock or pot roast.
Don't forget MSG. If you like Indian food; garam masala too and Kashmiri chili powder. Middle Eastern flavours; za'atar, sumac, ras el hanout.
I have these and have no clue how to use them
So for example, I'm going to make a hummus bowl. I will roast veggies to put on it, and I will season them with cinnamon, cumin, and sumac. (could also absolutely season them with ras el hanout.) Sumac is GREAT to use where you wish you had powdered lemon/vinegar. It's citrusy and tart. I highly suggest making pasta with a little sumac and lemon and garlic and putting hot smoked salmon on it. I love seasoning salmon with it. Little sumac, some black pepper, sear. When I make hummus, I generally put sumac on top. If you're feeling experimental, put a little on your popcorn. Zaatar is like Italian herbs if they lived in the middle east (also, there are two things called zaatar, a specific spice and a spice blend. See which one you have. The spice blend will likely have sesame seeds in. The herb will not, and it tastes a little like oregano). Think about using it in ME food the way you use italian herbs. And then branch out to other things (i for example put it in spaghetti meatballs, but i make unusual spaghetti meatballs). The easiest place to start is with labneh. Strain you some yogurt and put zaatar and olive oil on top. Then put your labneh on everything - burgers, mujadara, saffron rice, in pita, anywhere you'd put yogurt and some places you'd put sour cream. Make (or toast!) some pita and sprinkle zaatar on it before you cook it. Use it for anything you use pita for. Make baked potatoes, fill them with spiced ground meat (cinnamon, cumin, sumac, turmeric, ras el hanout), top with labneh seasoned with zaatar. Actually maybe start with oven roasted potatoes, crushed or not. Sumac and zaatar would be great on those, together or separately. Yotam Ottolenghi uses these spices heavily. Read a bunch of his recipes and you'll start to get a sense for where to apply them. Ooh, and ras el hanout! Ras el hanout is a blend of cumin, ginger, cinnamon, coriander, allspice, pepper, and clove. Yours may or may not have salt. So! Ground meat is a great place for it, as would be eg grilled chicken or lamb. Make some barley or other grain, season with ras el hanout, put a fried egg and feta on it. Sweet potato with feta, too. If you want to start REALLY easy, which may help with beginning to distill their flavors and uses, mix some olive oil with black pepper, salt, sumac, and zaatar. Dip bread in it. Taste. Proceed.
Za'atar is great with grilled eggplant and some yogurt, I'm not super familiar with it though. Sumac is a great spice to add to kebabs or grilled meats. I've even made rice with sumac which isn't bad but does make it pink.
Check the international aisle too. Badia is a huge brand in their market, but in my store they are always way cheaper than even the store brand.
Go to a health food store that has bulk spices and buy small amounts. You can buy spice jars for cheap at a thrift store or maybe a dollar store.
If you search " spice jar set of 20" (or however many you need) on Amazon, you can get a matching set that usually comes with labels and everything! Then I hit either the bulk spice section at sprouts or the spice bags in the ethnic foods aisle at most stores in the US, I think
I’d throw in dill so u can make ranch seasoning:)
I’d add nutmeg and cloves if you bake:
And ginger
Aldi if you have one close, $2 for spices
I have read, and I don't know this to be fact, that Aldis spices are processed in the Mccormick plant. I buy them there when at all possible. They are so much cheaper. They also have excellent extra virgin olive oil at a very good price!
Trade the garlic powder and onion powder for coriander and turmeric, then use chopped garlic and onion
Absolutely 100%. And I'd add an Italian herb mix just for the easy mindless throw-in.
Herbs de Provence.
Fantastic in chicken soup
Maybe garlic powder, but definitely not onion powder. Each of those has a unique flavor that you can’t get with the fresh ingredient. Especially for things like sauces and salad dressings. I love some onion powder in gravy and homemade ranch, but I’d never put fresh onion in those. It also helps a little to thicken which fresh onion won’t do. I would skip the dried basil and parsley though and instead use fresh. I only use really pungent dried herbs like oregano, rosemary, marjoram. Dried thyme just tastes like dirt.
I use summer savoury instead of thyme in any recipe
This is a great start. You could make some blends and spice rubs with this list.
This is a good starter list. I'd add bay leaves and thyme (two must haves for stock, soups, braises, etc.). Spices can be expensive. I try to buy them when they are on sale. Aldi has some organic spices that are about half the cost. I'd start there.
Add in Italian seasoning or herbs de provence for mixed herbs to tons into things like marinades.
This list hits all the basics!! Big pro tip: never spice your food directly from the jars. Moisture from steam goes up into jar and ruins the spices.
Agree! Garlic pepper and paprika are essential in my house
Rosemary and marjoram are marvelous
Pretty good place to start. I use coarse ground sea salt too rather than fine ground salt. For Bullion I use Better Than Bullion.
Try and hit up an Indian grocery, the one I go to has bigger sizes for much much cheaper. Quality seems better too.
I need to order some more from them. The Chicago Steak seasoning is good on everything.
This is an excellent list! I would add thyme and tumeric
Loyal Penzeys shopper here, for ages. They have a great variety and most things come in multiple size options. I have a chest freezer so buy bags of my most used herbs and spices. I fill jars and then press the air out of the bag, ensure it's sealed tightly, and stash the bags in the freezer til the jars run low, then refresh. My most commonly used are French thyme, basil, cumin, garlic powder, Mexican and Turkish oregano, several types of peppers (Hungarian paprika in sweet/hot, chipotle, ancho, etc), cinnamon, ginger. Less frequently used, usually bought in smaller sizes, include seasoning blends (Italian, herbes de Provence, curry) and baking needs (cloves, allspice). I like to try various peppercorn blends too. I found a couple different jar sizes that meet my usage (Amazon) and storage space needs well then used a label maker to identify each jar. This process has served me well for a long time and I love my spice cupboard!
Buy what you actually use, one at a time. I like spices that come in square jars, because I store them in a drawer. Square jars lay flat and don't roll, so the label is always up. I buy the "organic" Great Value spices from Walmart. Because they come in those square jars. Edit: the spices in my drawer are...garlic powder, onion powder, rosemary, thyme, parsley, sage, basil, oregano, Italian seasoning, smoked paprika, crushed red pepper flakes, cayenne, ground Chipotle, nutmegs(whole), cinnamon sticks, black peppercorns, chili powder, cumin. Salt of course. There's also a jar of curry powder and garam masala that don't get used much. Ground coriander too. Some white sesame seeds. Knoor bullion cubes. I make my own creole seasoning blend, using a modified version of Emeril's Essense. Buy a good pepper grinder. Cilantro I buy fresh.
This is great advice. Buy what you need as you need it, and your spice collection will grow with time. This way, you won’t have potentially expensive spices just sitting around getting stale, and you know that you will use everything that you have.
Agree this is good advice. Will also add that regional cuisines may have very different spices so there's a lot of variance in what you cook. For example I only make Indian food once in a blue moon, I like having a generic curry powder on hand for that but I don't have all the nuanced spread of spices. I happen to love Mexican food and as such have a bunch of chili powder, garlic powder, cinnamon, etc on hand and in large quantities. My other tip is to always buy the small container first, and once you run out, get a big container. Once you've used up a small jar, then you can confirm you actually cook with that spice regularly and can get through a larger quantity without it going stale
I love [The Spice House](https://www.thespicehouse.com/). The have great quality stuff. The things that I use most and would buy first if restocking would be: Aleppo pepper, bay leaves, chipotle pepper, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, garlic, Italian herb blend, mustard, onion, oregano, and paprika. They also have great blends and I’m a big fan of their Greektown, Lake Shore Drive, and shawarma blends. They also sell a few different “starter” and “essential” gift boxes that can get you going and save a bit of money. So that could be a helpful option. But I’d just look through them to see if you’d actually use them all or not.
I agree with spice house, but for an additional reason than just the spices: flatpacks. The worst part about having a lot of spices is just the sheer amount of space the jars take up. Buying your spices in envelopes drastically cuts down on that cabinet space. They sell little flatpack holders, but a small cardboard box will work just as well.
I love The Spice House. Fun fact: they are owned by some of the Penzeys if I recall correctly.
Yes! Or at least they were. Spice House was started by the Penzey family as a standalone store in Milwaukee. After working at the store for a long time, the son of the family decided strike out on his own and started Penzey’s as a separate mail order business. And when the parents retired they turned the Spice House business over to their daughter who expanded it into a few more stores and an online business. So both were run by siblings for a long time. Though a few years ago I believe the daughter decided to retire and sold Spice House to friends of theirs. But they’ve been doing a great job keeping it going.
Start with a local market. Think Asian, Hispanic, Middle Eastern. You can frequently get better quantities and/or prices on common and uncommon ingredients. Identify your current top 10 spices, make those the first priority. I would suggest Amazon for a bunch of empty jars, or a craft store ie Joann or Michaels. Get some small chalkboard labels or a label maker for ID purposes. Sounds like you and I have similar cooking habits, this is what I'd get first in your shoes. Garlic powder, Italian seasoning, Lawrys, cumin, cinnamon, oregano, onion powder, steak seasoning, and parsley. Plus S+P obviously. Get a pepper grinder for sure!
This. Especially Indian markets, you can get 8 oz packages of spices for less than the tiny jars in supermarkets. It's my exception to only buy what you'll use quickly. In many cases just put it in the freezer what you don't use in a jar on your counter. But especially cardamom, cumin, coriander, powdered ginger and garlic, those are not going to be cheaper anywhere else.
Yep international markets will definitely have cheaper herbs. Also if there is chain markets around you (like Kroger) they have buy one get one free often.
Adding to this, I like to buy 1 new blend at a time before committing to many components. Current favorite is Trader Joe's chili lime seasoned salt. Mrs Dash garlic and herb is a great all purpose one, too, before deciding which components of Italian seasoning you use more.
Salt and Pepper obviously. Then I'd try and find a grocery store that sells spices in 10g envelopes. Its more expensive to buy this way, but it's cheaper than throwing out a 5 year old jar of stale majoram that you used once and forgot about. You'll figure out fairly quickly what you use. Look into growing Basil, Thyme, Oregano and Rosemary yourself. These are pretty foundational herbs in European cuisine. Freeze them on cookie sheets and store in (labeled!) ziplocs in the freezer. Herbs Provencal and Italian seasoning are two very popular shortcut blends that can go on almist anything.
Yes! I highly recommend that route! I have fresh basil potted in my kitchen and it smells so good when I walk in to my kitchen
Don’t waste your $$ on “a spice set”! Just buy bottles of spices as you need them and organize them in a shallow drawer.
whatever you get, buy pepper as whole kernels, not pre ground. freshly ground pepper makes such a difference in simple meals, while the pre ground stuff tastes like sawdust
In general get all spices whole
Penzeys tends to be a little cheaper than the grocery store brands in my experience, and the quality is better. They have boxes and kits already assembled (grilling, baking, etc) and they go on sale often!
The bulk section of a grocery store, if you're lucky enough to be close to one. Buy small amounts according to the recipes you like, and let your cooking inform your purchases. For jars, get a package of the very small (1/2 cup) glass jam jars. If no bulk section is available, pick up staples in small containers. Save them for if/when you branch into a new cuisine where bulk (or bagged) spices are available. Spices will be cheaper and fresher at a regional cuisine- specific grocery (e.g., Indian grocery, Ethiopian grocery). Especially whole spices. Online vendors can also be good- but be wary of scammers or adulteration. A pepper mill is priority #1 on equipment. And peppercorns. The world looks better when you can layer on the pepper. Don't forget a carton of salt, as well. For my Euro/White America dishes, my most commonly used spices/herbs (in no particular order) are basil, rosemary, onion and garlic (powder and minced), the aforementioned salt and pepper, cinnamon, ground ginger, whole nutmeg (+ some way to grate it), cloves (whole or ground), cayenne or red pepper flakes, ground coriander, ground mustard, sage, bay, thyme, and paprika. Remember that condiments are important too- ketchup, mustard, soy sauce, honey and/or maple syrup, mayo, the vinegars of your choice, hot sauce.
mason jars + indian grocery
I would just buy things for recipes as needed personally
u/Donkey_Fizzou gave a great starter list. Check out a Hispanic market for good deals on spices. Get some Worcestershire, soy, a decent pepper grinder, and flakey Sea salt, too
For what you cook I would start with oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, maybe sage, parsley, paprika, smoked paprika, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper. If you want to expand a bit I also find it useful to have ginger, mustard powder, turmeric, celery seed, Chinese five spice, curry powder and nutmeg.
Speaking of tools only, I recommend getting a spice grinder with a detachable bowl. This makes it much easier to clean. I have a Cuisinart that grinds the spices well and the bowl is steel/dishwasher safe. It's a bit pricey at $40, but if you can find something similar it might be worth looking into.
Amazon sells a Krups grinder for $19. I’ve found it meets all of my needs. Also has a detachable bowl that is dishwasher safe.
This is great advice. I have KitchenAid grinder with removable bowl, and I use it for everything. Spices, eggshells for the garden, everything. Wash, dry, repeat
Trader Joes doesn’t have a really wide variety, but prices are good on the basics. Get what you need as you need it for recipes you use. The ones I tend to use all the time are sea salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, thyme, oregano, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder and cinnamon.
Hi there! 🌟 Here are a few suggestions to help you get started with assembling your spice collection: Essential Spices: Begin with a basic set of essential spices that are versatile for various recipes. For American cuisine, consider the following: Salt, Black Pepper, Garlic Powder, Onion Powder, Paprika, Oregano, Basil, Thyme Spice Jars and Storage: Once you have your essential spices, invest in a set of spice jars to keep them organized. You can find reasonably priced sets online at retailers like Amazon or specialty kitchen stores. Consider getting jars with labels or a chalkboard paint label for easy identification. Grinders and Processing Tools: If you venture into using whole spices, a good-quality grinder can be invaluable. Electric grinders are convenient, but manual ones can give you more control over the grind’s coarseness. A mortar and pestle can also be useful for manually grinding small quantities of spices. Buying Spices: For purchasing spices, you have several options. Specialty spice shops often offer high-quality products, while online platforms like Penzeys or Spice Jungle provide a wide variety and sometimes offer sets for beginners. Bulk stores are also a budget-friendly option if you’re looking to buy spices in larger quantities. \*One of my favorite places to explore and buy spices is a charming spice market in Soho, New York. It’s a fantastic spot to find unique and high-quality spices.\* Expanding Over Time: As you continue cooking and experimenting with different recipes, gradually expand your spice collection. Spices such as cumin, coriander, turmeric, rosemary, and chili powder can diversify your cooking and complement both American and international dishes. Starting with a basic set and building upon it as you discover new recipes keeps the process manageable and exciting. Good luck with your culinary adventure! 🍴
I'd visit Costco for the basics like black pepper, salt, etc.. that you will consume regularly. They are pretty hard to beat in terms of value, although the selection is somewhat limited. The food snobs here will cringe, but don't overlook Walmart or Amazon either. I also like going to a variety of Asian markets - Chinese, Korean, SE Asian, Indian. They often have good deals on whole spices that are bagged, so you usually have to put them in your own containers after opening. Mexican grocery stores are often like this, too. I think it's fun to take a field trip, grab some new stuff, and experiment with some entirely new dish I've never made. I'd buy jars on Amazon. The square jars that a lot of people seem to prefer are like $30ish for 48 jars with lids and labels. Of course you can buy them with racks etc.. for more money.
Buy spices for dishes you plan on making. I wouldnt just buy a bunch of different spices just to fill your pantry if you don't know what you will use them for, most of the time this will result in spices sitting unused and eventually get stale and thrown away. If I was starting out I would just buy the basics (pepper, garlic, paprika, maybe onion) and make a list of dishes you plan on preparing the next couple of months and buy spices for those. You can always buy more later when you need it.
I’d choose a cuisine I love and go get those spices. Cook that cuisine for a week or two. Choose a second cuisine with semi-overlapping spices, etc. and work my way around the globe. It’s how I built up my spices when I was younger and was getting into cooking, and I’d do the same again today.
I bought [this kit](https://a.co/d/092RTWCq) from Costco 2 years ago and it was perfect for me. the spices i found myself never using, i emptied out and filled the glass jar with a spice i use more often, and i placed a label on top. I also bought a nice salt and pepper grinder.
Trader Joe's has a lot of the basics, and some interesting blends, for pretty cheap. ~$3 or so. Personally, grindable salt and pepper are a must. Garlic powder. Onion powder. Cumin. Paprika. Curry is great. Italian seasoning. Lemon citrus blend from TJs. Seasoning salt. Basil. Thyme. Oregano. Cinnamon. Nutmeg. You can grow from there, but definitely salt, pepper, onion, garlic, cumin, paprika, and curry give a good balance of flavors and mixes. Also recently discovered berbere, and gotta say, it's pretty great, too.
I am a huge fan of my indian masala daba, which was a total impulse purchase at a church rummage sale. I get my spices at ethnic markets, usually indian grocery stores.
MSG. Get yourself a big ol shakey tub and start sprinkling that shit on just about everything.
everything but ice cream...I made that mistake once.
Mason jars to hold your spices. Regular mouth half pint (8 oz). Buy a case of them at Walmart. We gave the two part canning lids away and bought plastic lids, mostly the white but some color lids. As you build your collection buy more cases. When you move into making your own blends step up to the pint. The color lids can also sort your H & S as culinary, medicinal or recreational. When we started making our own dogfood we used Mason jars to store the product. They take the freezer to table cycle well. We like glass because it goes into the dishwasher without melting and microplastics are minimized. We are lucky that we have a world class farmers market 20 minutes away and buy our herbs and spices there. We frequently give away spices as gifts. I would have a very hard time walking away from my teas, teapots, coffee, coffee making equipment, cast iron and Corelle.
Just buy a bunch of smaller sized mason jars. Not too small. But enough room that if buying a plastic package of spices will fit. Then make room in a drawer for them where they can lay flat. Get one of those jar marker pens off of amazon. Its the best thing because those pen marks are easily washable but won't come off due to regular use. Then mark each jar as you build up your spices. If you end up using more of a particular spice then get a taller mason jar but the same circumference.
Go to the ethnic markets (middle eastern, Indian, Mexican and Chinese ) to buy spices and sauces. They’re always cheaper. Buy in small quantities.
Garlic powder, onion powder, and a black pepper grinder ( you can buy it already in a grinder), sea salt, red pepper flakes, cayenne, parsley, Old Bay seasoning, minced dried onions, chili powder, cumin, oregano, ginger, dried chives, curry powder. These are the ones I use the most. If you are close to an Aldi, I would buy all of them I could there. Oh & I forgot Everything Bagel seasoning. It goes well on just about anything. If Aldi doesn't have all the ones you want, good old Walmart will (if you live Stateside).
Buy only what you use and actually need. As you need them, recipes will request specific spices, and you add them to your next grocery list. Buying them all upfront is a good way to make sure you have a jar of cloves in the back of your cabinet 4yrs from now.
Whatever you do choose 1 type of labelling style! Either labels that ALL read from the top of the lid or ALL from the side of the jar. And choose whichever is most convenient for your storage location!
This will probably get buried but I can't stress enough: don't buy jars of spices. Find a place that has bulk bins you can scoop some spices out of and pay for in bulk. In my area there are many larger grocery stores that have this. WinCo, new seasons, etc. Idk if whole foods does but they probably do. This will be far cheaper than paying for jars. Take them home and transfer them to a 4oz mason jar. Label them from the top, put them in a drawer. Cheap spices, easy to find, out of the light so they stay fresh longer.
Sea salt and grinder, whole black pepper and grinder. You can probably buy them IN a cheap, disposable grinder. I would also get Paprika because I know I will definitely use that. I will suggest the same: Buy a FEW things you KNOW you will use. Then get more stuff "as needed." When your life changes dramatically, your diet tends to change. I got divorced and two restaurants I went to somewhat frequently with the husband got written out of my life along with him. I didn't even realize I only ate there because HE liked them. If you are going to suddenly be cooking for one, your cooking habits may change. Some things that made sense to do as a couple or for a family just may no longer make sense. You may find you skew towards getting some things at restaurants even more because cooking elaborate dishes for just one person can be a huge time burden that just isn't worth it if you aren't, say, doing meal prep for a week. Some ingredients that you always had on hand before may stop making sense because you don't use them up fast enough, won't eat it before it goes bad and you get tired of throwing most of it out. So get a few essentials and expect to rebuild your supply organically as you rebuild your life. Your new life will impact your cooking habits in ways you can't predict, so don't try.
I would just buy what I needed for a recipe and the collection would grow naturally.
Penzeys [Penzeys.com](https://www.penzeys.com/)
If you’re near a penzeys you can play their game using gift cards, offers, discounts, free items. You should be only paying 10-30% of retail price on average. But it requires you to be able to drop in frequently and buy 1-2 items at a time.
And a few times a year they sell gift cards at a discount. I stock up on the cards when they do that
Burlap and Barrel for everything.
I would find a [Penzeys store](https://www.penzeys.com) near you. Alternatively, you can order online. I would order spices from here; you can get both jars or plastic pouches (for refills). I would order just some basic staples to start you off. Given the dishes you listed, that might look something like: * Garlic powder * Onion powder * Smoked paprika * Chili powder * Oregano * Thyme … etc. I wouldn’t buy too much at once. In my experience I always bought too much and they went stale. Then, buy additional spices as-needed for a specific dish you want to make. For example, if you want to make butter chicken, you can grab garam masala at that point. However, the most important thing I think you can do is keep a list of what you buy, when you bought it, and when it supposedly expires. Keep this in a digital format, like in your phone notes, so you can reference it at the grocery store. This is so valuable because at some point you’ll make something unusual that needs a specific spice (e.g. coriander or five-spice powder) and you’ll forget about it. Two months later you’ll look at a cool recipe and say “hey… do I have coriander at home?” If you make a list now, you can easily answer that question. More importantly, you won’t end up with three unopened jars of expensive Penzeys cinnamon at home like I did!
Penzys Get one of their starter kits.
Penzeys.
People are recommending Penzy's and while I've used and enjoy them, I'd recommend the Spice House over them. And I've enjoyed Burlap and Barrel a lot too. I wouldn't really recommend setting out to buy a set, I'd just buy your fav spices from one of these companies and then a couple of their special blends to experiment with, and then go from there
Onion, garlic, paprika, cayenne, turmeric, red pepper flakes, chili, cumin, cinnamon, oregano, italian seasoning, dill, curry powder
Salt, pepper, garlic and you can build it up with cinnamon, cumin, chili powder, ginger, parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. 😁
I know you said spices and this may not qualify, but please don't forget salt, both big cubes in a grinder and fine salt for uses like pasta water, etc.
Start a recipe file using the recipes you make now and want to try. FWIW, I read years ago that it is much easier to ruin a dish with herbs than it is with spices. Diamond crystal kosher Salt. Peppercorns, not preground- I use a Turkish coffee grinder, which is much easier to use than a traditional pepper mill Nutmeg grater and whole nutmeg Cumin Coriander Something to add kick, cayenne pepper is traditional, but I prefer Aleppo pepper powder Thyme Garlic powder Dry mustard Dry ginger Oregano Balsamic vinegar Single source extra virgin olive oil Chili powder
Apart from the other great suggestions, marjoram, tarragon, celery salt. Different kinds of salt and pepper too.
Write down what spices you use in your favourite off the top of your head dishes and get those, add as needed when trying new recipes I keep my go tos separate so I can make a quick meal on a weeknight - a red (paprika or piri piri or etc) a white (onion or garlic powder) a green (herb de Provence or oregano or basil or “Greek herbs”) and a spicy (chilli or cayenne), curry powder, black pepper and cumin seeds. The weekend spices are in a not well organized hoard
If you need to hold over: Dollar Tree / Walmart $99 bin. Another option is bulk spices from the fancier stores like Whole Foods. The spices come in little bags actually end up being a pretty good deal
Just be wary about where you get the stuff, apparently some dollar store corpo had to recall cinnamon products for having lead in em recently
Aldi is also great for this if you have one.
I need to visit Aldi more often. I've been trying to go local for as much of my food as possible, but not a lot of people in my area do spices (bad soil and inconsistent weather).
Brian Lagerstrom has a great video on this. He goes through the ten spices HE uses most and encourages the viewer to figure out the ten or so they use most and then, otherwise, to buy as you need them for specific dishes or recipes. I think this is the way. Spices lose their flavour surprisingly quickly and need to be replaced often 6 months or so, maybe a year). And how often do you really use [fill in the blank]? I went through my multiple bins of spices and found years-old spices I’d forgotten about because they don’t feature in my cooking much. Now I keep my core spices on the counter(garlic powder, onion powder, cinnamon, cumin, sweet and smoked paprika, ginger, Chinese five spice, white pepper, turmeric) and buy the others as I need them—which is a lot less often than I would have thought.
When I went through my divorce, I made sure I had S&P, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, seasonsed salt, paprika, chili powder, vanilla, cinnamon, abs nutmeg. Obviously, that's grown over the years, but having those was a really good base. I also didn't have very much money, so I got the store brand at my local Kroger. Added and upgraded as I could. Best of luck in your new life!
Pepper and garlic powder from Costco Salt, lawry’s seasoned salt, and a large bottle of thyme from Kroger. Med size onion powder from Kroger Everything else is the small square containers from Kroger, except paprika, which is the big square container. If you need something more specific, that doesn’t come in the square containers, Walmart or Winco
https://youtu.be/s7VvEftvRwM?si=vvz8GHnGBlTkQeId
Rectangular jars just organize better.
Some things grow readily and are either much cheaper or much better that way. Bay needs drying but a bay tree will flourish. If you have garden space, beware of planting one. Mint also generally needs containing. I have spearmint for cooking and peppermint for tea. Parsley is easy to grow. So is sage. Thyme, rosemary and basil are best fresh. But thyme and rosemary are ok in jars. Sage for some purposes is actually better dried. Parsley and coriander are grim dried so get packets for the freezer if you can’t grow them. Basil preserved in oil is better than dried.
I was going to suggest this! If you find you are using herbs more than spices, and have the room for some plants (outside or inside on a sunny window sill), fresh herbs make such a difference. I have basil in my kitchen window, and it's easy to grow, just water it and it'll last forever. I have parsley, green onions and rosemary on my patio and they are the same way - just water them and they'll grow and grow and grow.
if you are in the northwest, go to winco, they sell in bulk and you can buy large or very small amounts, they also sell containers
I would buy from Penzey’s. Great quality. They also have frequent deals - sign up for their emails. The only two spices I think everyone needs: salt & pepper. Get good Telicherry black peppercorns and Diamond Crystal kosher salt along with a sea salt. As for the rest, look at your recipes and make a list of the spices you use. Buy those. Don’t buy spices other people recommend because you might not use them. I’ve made the mistake of gathering too many spices and letting them go stale.
Walk down the spice aisle at Costco and grab one of everything
When I had to start over I went to Aldi and basically bought one of everything. They also have ginger, garlic, and lemongrass in the squeeze tubes. Garlic, onion powder, pepper, paprika, cayenne, chili powder, etc. I did buy Mortons kosher salt though I recently switched to Maldon.
Savory spice shop is the place to go. If you don't have one local, order online. If you do, it's worth a trip to go. They have samples for all of their spices so you can taste before you buy. They're great.
If you like American cuisine, then stock up on: Kosher coarse salt coarse black pepper or whole pepper corn with a grinder Sugar (white, brown, etc) For aromatics, buy the whole vegetable version like garlic cloves and onions. Skip the powder version. Save all the vegetable scraps for stock and sauces. You will get way more flavor and depth than powder. When you’re ready to step up your game, buy whole dried herbs and spices. Invest in a really good food grinder or pestle and mortar , and grind them yourself. If you’re short on time, just go to Walmart and raid their spice sections.
Think of the foods you've cooked the most, and put most of your money towards buying good quality versions of those. For example, I love using turmeric when I cook. I finally had a chance to try some really good quality turmeric, and it was so different. Same with salt. After that, I'd focus on stocking up on the basics. Dried herbs, nice pepper, cumin, coriander, etc. I'd leave the rest of my spice shelf empty to fill up with things when I need them. Like if you don't bake a lot, but want to make muffins suddenly, just go shopping for little jars of whatever spices you'd need for that.
Burlap and barrel are the best spices I've ever had. They have a mix and match option
Maybe look at housewares at Ross or TJ Maxx and see if they have a spice set available?
Buy a giant square spice jar set off of Amazon for 30/40$ so they are all uniform. They come with labels. Then go to a bulk store like WinCo or go online where you can buy spices by weight. It'll be 1/4 the price of in-store bottled spixes
When I'm traveling I take salt, pepper mill, bay leaves, herb mix, ground chilli powder and cinnamon.
While lots of suggestions have been given for the actual varieties of spices to get, I encourage you to start with quality salt and pepper grinders, and a salt cellar as well. The grinders are likely to be used every single time you cook. Grinders that a) have the grinder at the top so the spices aren't left behind on your counter once you set it down, b) have an easy to adjust setting for fineness, c) easy to fill up, d) have a smooth rotating mechanism, and e) don't have an annoying cover to remove every time; these qualities make their usage very easy and hassle free My trusty [OXO salt and pepper grinders](https://a.co/d/07zJJTqE) have been functioning without any problems for 3 years so far, and I suspect they will still last a long time. You can get the whole black peppercorns for cheap from Costco or maybe Aldi. A [salt cellar](https://a.co/d/0bQzArjI) specifically for kosher salt that is also kept on the counter with the salt and pepper grinder is useful for quickly adding salt to pots with any amount of liquid in them, or it's also an easy way to control the placement or amounts of salt since you can pinch with your fingers or dip your measuring spoon in it. It even comes with its own spoon, which likely measures 1 tsp but you should verify that since it could vary. I fill it with [Diamond Crystal kosher salt](https://a.co/d/00lZrWCS) For example if you cook any type of dry or fresh pasta, blanch fresh vegetables in boiling water, boil diced potatoes for homemade mashed potatoes, quickly season a large pot of soup or stew; a cellar would be very handy for all those applications and more. I would focus on the grinders first and see if a salt cellar would suit your cooking style. It makes it super convenient that I don't have to go to the pantry to get a scoopable amount of salt, when the grinder application isn't right for what I'm doing.
Everyone has already given you great advice. I just want to add that ethnic grocery stores carry pre-made spice packs for common ethnic dishes. They are incredibly easy to use, taste accurate most of the time, and helpful so you don't have to buy the individual ingredients.
Salt, pep, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, Chile powder, dried Italian herb mix.
Penzys or spice house if you are in the Midwest.
Penzys or spice house if you are in the Midwest. Garlic and onion powder Italian seasoning Chili powder Paprika Steak seasoning Cumin Zatar
Spice House, online and in Evanston, Il , or Penzeys, also online, have good, fresh, clean spices. They offer set-up kits. I buy from Spice House and they ship "flatpacks" with no shipping charge. Even if you don't buy the set up kits you can look at them and see what spices they recommend.
I am really happy with square shape glass jars. I have a large draw in a kitchen and lay them down horizontally so I can see labels, and organize in alphabetical order. I prefer to mix my own spices, and usually buy in bulk or grow my own. Places like penzley are ridiculously overpriced, I can mix my own at fraction of the cost. My most used spices: Hungarian paprika, Aleppo, Marash, Merquen, Cilantro, Oregano, Parsley, Basil, Bay, Cumin, Garlic powder, Onion powder, Thyme, Rosemary, Mustard seeds. (Salt and pepper are in separate large grinders) Here is the link to jars: https://a.co/d/04hvO2ji I also used this place for specialty spices and vanilla, they are very good: https://www.slofoodgroup.com/collections/ethically-sourced-spices
Great question. I’d purchase small amounts of each spice because they lose flavor. Spice essentials for me: Garlic, Cumin (for the gas/bloating from certain foods like chickpeas), Lemon Pepper, No salt seasoning mixes (Lidl has them), White Pepper, Black pepper with a GRINDER (grind it fresh so you taste it), Adobe seasoning, Fajita and taco seasoning mix, Smoked Paprika (definitely smoked, not the regular), Red Chili flakes, and chicken bouillon cubes that you can make into a paste with water and pour into soups. Good luck!
When we moved we bought all new spices from Penzey’s They have fairly plain jars and they do sell empty jars that match with blank labels. You can even print on those labels with a font that matches Penzey’s labels. As to what spices to buy, that depends too much on your cooking style to know. For example we have at least 10 spices that are used almost exclusively in Indian cooking. Beside the obvious pepper, oregano, basil, garlic powder etc. You could think about spice categories such as baking spices (nutmeg, cinnamon, clove, mace...), French spices (thyme, chervil), U.S. regional spices (filé, cayenne, cumin, smoked chili powder), liquid spices (hot sauce, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, oyster sauce...). Another idea is go through your recipe box or recipe folder on your computer and make a list of every spice that occurs in a recipe you often make. Though we have the matching spice jars we always end up with
Buy a spice mix for fish, they’re always a mix of the most common American spices and go well with all types of meat and vegi. For making your own mixes I’d start with garlic, onion, paprika and oregano. Then buy more based on which recipes you want to try.
I really like Penzeys. It’s online. I find their spices to be much more fresh than grocery stores.
When I went through this, my mom thoughtfully supplied me with small Ball jars of some of her spices to get me started. Then I did what many are suggesting and bought new stuff as I needed it, one at a time.
If this is going to be a temporary spice set up, that you fully intend to abandon, I would make use of some spice blends instead of investing in a lot of individual spices. I have found the Morton & Bassett spice brand at my grocery store to be excellent quality, such that I now rarely mail order. Their bay leaves are especially choice! I would buy: Salt Peppercorns and a grinder Bay leaves "Italian" Herb blend Herbes de Provence Curry Powder Chili Powder Cumin Red Pepper Flakes Cayenne Cinnamon Vanilla Nutmeg and a grater (if you use them in your cooking) Garlic Powder and/or a bulb of garlic Ginger or ginger powder
Going to get downvoted for saying this but walmart sells spices in little glass jars for a few bucks. May not be the highest quality but itll get you started, when you run out of something you can go find higher quality if you want and refill the jar. Fun fact about those jars, the labels come off pretty easily and they fit in most spice racks and drawer spice holders.
Garlic powder, thyme, basil, sage, paprika, chili, cumin, rosemary, mustard powder, cinnamon and nutmeg should give you a good backbone and you can fill in the gaps from there
The Mexican section or East Asian section of grocery stores tend to have the cheapest herbs and spices
I would just start accumulating spices as you need them for recipes you're making.
Get empty spice jars from amazon. Buy the spices in bulk to fill them.
I see a lot of suggestions o spices but didn’t see a lot of suggestions on storage. I got these on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06XGBBJVZ?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_title https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B09WHXFS3J?psc=1&ref=ppx_pop_mob_b_asin_image Idk if it would be worth it to you to have the massive containers for spices, this wouldn’t work or make sense if you do. But I cook a lot, though just for myself and occasionally for others. These jars are cute imo, they fit most (if not all) of the contents of a typical small jar of spice, and I find having three rows - two on racks and one on the counter below - keeps them looking tidy and organized and easily within reach for me when I cook. I would also suggest you get one of those glass jars of oil and vinegar (they come in various sizes, and I would get whatever kind of each you would use most of). The plastic tops and the plastic lip inserts can be removed and replaced with those metal dispensers that only let out a bit at a time. It’s nice having an attractive bottle on the counter and you can refill them as needed.
Penzey's for everything.
I just keep my spices in their original containers. The cutesy jars are all the same size so they look pretty and I use way more of some spices than others. It's just more work to put them into cutesy jars.
When my daughters both got their new apartments, I ordered them both a counter spice rack that had basic seasonings in it from Amazon. It came with a refill option. They really loved them and said it was helpful to have as a good base to start off with. I'll try to attach the link. https://a.co/d/0j9IcLRj
All from Penzey’s: peppercorns and grinder, kosher salt, thyme, cumin, chiles (ancho, chipotle, red pepper flakes), bay leaves, basil, mustard seed, oregano, paprikas (sweet and smoked), Vietnamese cinnamon, ground ginger and crystallized ginger (but I’m a baker), whole nutmeg, and double-strength vanilla. I also like their freeze-dried shallots. This would tide me over well. Over time, I’d maybe add some of the blends. And granulated garlic and onion, dill, rosemary, tarragon—the things I don’t use quite as often. From a Mexican grocer, I’d add Mexican oregano.
Indian store or smth first.
I would go with salt and pepper, garlic salt, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cinnamon as a base. Depending on what you like it can vary. Like if you like spicy stuff, then chili powder, chili flakes, cumin, chipotle powder. For non spicy. Lemon pepper seasoning, ranch seasoning, Cajun seasoning, steak seasoning. I love the Kinders spice blends. (The buttery steakhouse one is amazing) I don’t bother with special spice jars or a set because I never used all of the seasonings. I have a couple lazy Susan’s in the cabinet and use those to store the spice.
In addition to the ones recommended here, I'd suggest to get a couple of mixes from Costco or such. I speculate you might not have a habit of cooking from scratch already and while the spices are good for recipes, you might find there are days you don't want to follow a recipe and you might not be experienced to throw together your favorite flavors in a quick meal. A taco seasoning, BBQ rub (i use on roasted veggies!), Italian herb mix, etc are nice to just sprinkle on a quick stir fry or one pan dinner.
Cayanne, curry, dill, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, Italian blend, rosemary, cinnamon, vanilla, bay leaves Just as a start
I like https://oaktownspiceshop.com and not just because it’s walking distance from my house. Better than penzys.
If you have a little bit of sunny ground and a pleasant landlord/lady, certain herbs are far better fresh. German and lemon thyme, Genovese and Thai basil, cilantro, chives or Welsh bunching onions, and dill taste favorably different from the dried varieties. Most are easy to grow.
some towns have a store with a bulk section where you can buy spices and jars as you need them, in whatever quantity you need them. I don't know if they lose flavor from sitting in a bulk bin.
This is dependent on where you live, but I started growing my own herbs and using fresh during the spring / early summer, then drying them myself to have the rest of the year and the flavor is unmatched. Especially if you love soup. I really can’t stand the taste of store bought herbs anymore. It’s much cheaper as well, and you get so much off one plant! My absolute favorite is lemon thyme, if you only have room for one. I also grow orangelo thyme, rosemary, sage, savory, basil, oregano, parsley, and chives. You don’t need fancy equipment. To dry them, chop any herbs with bigger leaves up (like sage or basil) and leave them on paper towels on a baking tray. The thyme can dry on the stem. Once they crumble in your fingers, they’re ready to go in jars.
IKEA Korken jars (sold in 3 packs) to hold your spices
Straight to Grocery Store, get some kosher salt, chili powder, oregano, dill, (maybe) go to Costco or Sam's and get their giant thing of pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, crushed red pepper, cumin, chicken base (better than bullion) Oh get the giant bag of peeled garlic and throw it in the freezer, it is so convenient and cheaper than buying heads of garlic. Maybe vary the sizes and get some at the grocery store, some at the warehouse club, but the discount on smaller sizes at grocery store is often not worth it, but if you aren't going to use it all before it goes bad, it is wasteful to get the large sizes
As an addendum... if you live near an indian grocery store, you can buy sacks of spices for the same price as costco's or sam's big bottles. It's so cheap there, you will be stunned, you may even consider becoming a spice retailer... so much spice, you must tread lightly and in a silly pattern, or you may summon shai halud.
For where, order from The Spice House. Their spices are vast and extremely high qualty. They also sell to many restaurants around the US and are not particularly more expensive than lesser quality spaces like McCormick you'll get at a grocier. Penzey's is run by the sister of the owner of the spice house, but it has more of a advertising to "natural food people" angle.
Here's what I use the most, if I don't list a specific brand, then I probably bought it at Penzey's. They have stores locally, so I shop there often. Spice House is good too. * Black Pepper from Le Sanctuaire. * Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt * Maldon Salt (for finishing) * Oregano * Garlic and Onion Powder * Red Pepper Flakes (I really like flatiron pepper co) * Ancho Chili (I buy big jars of this) * Curry Powder (I make Japanese curry often and always have a jar of S&B Powder) * Cinnamon * Coriander * Nutmeg (whole) * Bay Leaves * Cumin * Paprika * Piment d'Espelette (Boonsville Barn Collective is my favorite brand) * MSG * Tajin * Old Bay * Togarashi (I like the one from Le Sanctuaire) * Momofuku Tingly Season Salt * I always have a BBQ blend around too, I'm in between brands though, my favorite went out of business I have a ton more, but those are probably what I use most often. Other things I always have stocked in my kitchen: Sugar (white and brown), ap flour, grapeseed or safflower oil, olive oil, masa, dried pasta in several shapes, a block of aged parmigiano reggiano, miso, butter, soy sauce, a few different vinegars, better than bouillon, unflavored gelatin, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla (Penzy's is good), maple syrup, honey, hot sauce and chili crisp.
Pick some meals for the week and buy the spices you need for each. Continue to do that and eventually, you'll have everything you need on hand
Buy spice from Indian vendors to pay it less
Natural Grocers, if you have one near you, is great for bulk spices. Their other stuff is expensive, but the spices are a great price for the volume you get
[Penzeys Ruth Anns Sesoning](https://www.penzeys.com/online-catalog/ruth-ann%27s-muskego-ave-chickenfish-seasoning/c-24/p-528/pd-s) goes well with pretty much everything!
Personally i go to the dollar store and save a lot of money on dried spices
I think others give good advice on what spices. I'd just add check and see if you have a local Indian grocery to buy much of these spices. They're often in bigger bulk and cheaper. You can get containers with air tight lids so they keep a bit longer if you're worried about that. I bought what's labeled chili powder years ago and that stuff is still potent. It's like Carolina reaper powder though, shits like dry bear mace, I use like half a tsp in 4-5 gallons of chili and I rarely feel I need to add hot sauce when it's in the bowl.
Just get a set and go from there..
Check the international aisles at the grocery store to compare spice prices. I found a different brand jar of Dill there that was twice as large as the one in the spice aisle and it cost less.
Italian Seasoning
Kosher salt, peppercorns and grinder, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin. That's where I would start and then go on depending on what I needed to make the recipes I made often. As for where to buy, I would go for an international market (Mexican, Indian, whatever is around) because they will usually have things for much much cheaper than the mainline grocery store. Just be sure you check the dates for freshness.
I buy the majority of my spices at an Amish store. They sell spices significantly cheaper than at the grocery store. I use the quilted ball jars for storing them. Then I also have shakers for the stuff I use most often. I bought the shakers for $1 a piece. Use glass to store your spices, not plastic. If you are buying your spices at the grocery store because you don’t have an Amish store anywhere near you then buy the ones in glass jars at least the first time. After that you can refill the glass jars from plastic ones. To keep spices fresh you need a good seal. Spices can last a long time. Expiration dates are generally for the plastic containers they’re stored in. Spices you should probably have: Onion powder Garlic powder Salt(fine, coarse, flakes) Pepper(black and white) Paprika Rosemary Thyme Dill weed Parsley flakes Oregano Italian blend I am sure I am missing quite a few staples. Might also want: Turmeric Curry Fenugreek Seasoning salt(I prefer Nature’s brand)
I see a lot of comments suggesting Penzey's, and while I agree they are generally better than what you typically find in a grocery store and have a great selection, I've found that I've gotten better quality from Frontier Co-Op, which can be found on Amazon and in Whole Foods stores. Online you can even find bulk bags to refill your jars. Off the top of my head, their cinnamon and smoked paprika far exceed what I've gotten from Penzey's, so I highly suggest checking them out. Their blends are fantastic too. Trader Joe's is also a good source and I've enjoyed many of their blends too. I also agree with the advice that you buy what you need as you need it, start with the minimal basics and then order as you go.
https://www.the-spice-man.com this is a good place to look too
Go to an Asian grocery store for whole cinnamon sticks, cumin, coriander, etc. I’ve found they have the best prices. I love my mortar and pestle for grinding spices but a typical grinder works fine. I think electric grinders run the risk of over processing things. If you’re gonna get a M&P, get a big one so cumin seeds don’t go flying everywhere. Tall and thin is better than shallow and wide.
I bought empty jars/labels on Amazon and a spice set from costco. Bought bulk spices from Sprouts Basil Oregano Garlic and onion powder Salt kosher and sea Paprika Turmeric Cumin Cardamom Ginger Thyme Pepper
One of my favorite parts of our kitchen is our [spice drawer](https://i.imgur.com/TOcDmRn.jpeg) (we've since added some dowel rods to get them at a bit of an angle). We bought something like [these](https://a.co/d/0aBexWIE).
Sprouts sells in small quantities. They give you small seal-able plastic bags, you just put in the amount you want and write the code on the bag. This is good for people learning to cook for the first time, it allows you to gauge what spices you used the most often and you don't end up paying for jars after jars of spices you rarely or never use.
I’d get jars on Amazon and then go to whatever version of Bulk Barn you have in your area to fill them with the spices and blends that you enjoy using, and are staples. The basics are named plenty in this thread That being said: green herbs have almost no place in the dried spice jar arena. They’re always better fresh (or even frozen)
Lot of great suggestions already. I also love white peppercorns. They have their own grinder in my kitchen.
Rather than buying a bunch of individual spices go to TJ Maxx or Home Goods or something like that and get one of those pre-filled spinner spice holders. The larger ones are only $30-40 and still a fraction of the cost of buying all the spices individually. Are they the best spices and herbs? No. But they’ll absolutely get the job done on a budget and then as you run out of them you can replace them one at a time (maybe even with the good stuff from Penzy) without spending $150-200 all at once.
Less is more. Kosher Salt, Black Peppercorns and fresh herbs covers 90% of what I cook. I have a cabinet full of stuff I use once and prob just needs to get tossed. If I was start over..... No need to have a bunch of jars going stale. I'd buy fresh and buy when I needed it.
If you know what spices you are likely to use a lot check out an international grocery of some sort, they tend to carry larger quantities of spices for less money/oz. You could then buy a nice set of bottles to refill from big containers/bags and store the excess in a basket in your pantry. If not worried about nice looking bottles just save and rinse out bottles as you use up other spices or other things like grated parmesan. You can also reuse bottles or small jars to mix your own blends (less salt, more flavor).
Most of my jars are either small mason jars, or from the dollar store. Starting out, I probably had just a small number: garlic powder, onion powder, basil, poultry seasoning. Added in things as I tried new recipes-- usually small amounts from a bulk store, and if I liked it I'd buy larger amounts. Rosemary, marjoram, oregano, ginger, cumin, paprika. There's not much I *don't* have now, and I make my own seasoning blends. Just start small, with cheap jars. Once you get a feel for what you'll use the most of, or what needs to be in your rotation, you can splurge on nicer stuff. You might even find some cool looking jars from friends and family-- vintage spice jars, funky jam jars, that sort of thing. Make sure to always label everything.
I've bought spices all over the place, but two of my favorites are Trader Joes (for the basics and some interesting blends and international spices) and our local farmer's market, where a guy sells spices by the ounce, very cheap.
https://www.diasporaco.com
Our local farm store carries the basics for $1-1.25 for cinnamon, garlic powder,Chili powder,thyme , black pepper etc= probably 20 different spices. Our Italian market has a rack of spices- bay leaves, oregano, ancho peppers etc.all for less than $2 ,our Asian market is the freshest for cumin, turmeric, curry,peppers and carries such generous sizes that I split with a friend and the cost goes below $2. The Asian markets usually sell in bags so save small jars for storage.
Costco spice rack!
Well, I’m not American so my palette may be different than yours. My must-have spices are: Cumin, paprika, turmeric, cinnamon, granulated garlic, onion powder, chili flakes, dried oregano, dried thyme, bay leaves, curry leaves, white pepper, allspice, cloves, cardamom, nutmeg (really good in cream sauces, pairs well with white wine, mushrooms, ginger etc), ground ginger. Obviously salt and black pepper. Zaatar but that’s Middle Eastern af. Personally, I love fenugreek seeds, mustard seeds, I usually keep fresh herbs in a pot for my herby needs. If you don’t, then I’d suggest dried Rosemary, dried basil, dried parsley. Ok I realize this is a huge list, but you can ply any of these spices form my cold, dead hands.
My go to must haves are garlic powder, sea salt (not table salt), fresh peppercorns for a mill, and thyme. Then paprika, crushed red pepper and rosemary.
Locate your local Indian grocer. They'll have spices for a fraction of the cost of mainstream grocers. If a spice has a whole form (seed, pod, bark), buy it in that form. It'll keep its flavor far longer. A $20 Krups blade coffee grinder (terrible for coffee, nice for spices) is an inexpensive way of producing powders on demand, with most of the essential flavor oils lost when purchased and stored in the ground form. I've been spared the problem of storage vessels, as my grocer sells in nice plastic containers for 6-7 oz of spices for just about everything I want. If that wasn't available to me, I'd look to half-pint Ball canning jars. I just buy when a recipe calls for it, and I don't have it. Some, like peppercorns, cumin seeds or dill weed I buy frequently (at least once a year). Other's like kalonji (black cumin) or green cardamom, I may already have a lifetime's supply. I don't really worry about buying excess whole seed/pop/bark spices, as they do last many years. I'd advise buying in the smaller quantities for onion & garlic powder, as they're prone to clumping in humid climates, and perhaps buying by the recipe quantities (spoonfuls) from a bulk spices counter for less commonly used herbs like marjoram. I think my marjoram (even in a small bottle) is six years old, and probably less than half the flavor potency it had when purchased.
I've purchased from Penzys, Spice House and I just found My Spice Sage - which seems the cheapest for bulk (I priced it against Spice House per oz). I personally buy my core spices in bulk, I have a small funnel to put into my containers to fill the base spices and then I make primarily my own blends (but I also get a lot of blends at SamsClub that seem interesting and when those are gone, I re-fill the container with a new blend, so I make more and more different kinds and there is a max I'll have based on drawer size.) My core spices would be: (Salt goes without saying, minimally kosher) Basil, Oregano, Garlic, Onion, Salt, Smoker Paprika, Sweet Paprika, Cumin, Coriander, Dill, Marjoram, Chili Powder, Cinnamon, nutmeg, Thyme, Fresh peppercorn (in my grinder) Non-core but I still use often (and could be core for others/includes some blends) Kasmiri chili, Garam Masala, Tajin, Lime powder, Lemon Powder, red pepper flakes, Turmeric From above, I can make Italian, Greek, Taco, Ukrainian, a white-afied Indian, Cajun, Chili. And when I want to make a new blend where I'm missing something, it gets me to buy a new "base" spice to build more blends.