The Only Spices You Actually Need (And How to Stop Wasting Money on Ones You Don’t)

My spice cabinet used to be a graveyard of good intentions. Jars of exotic spices I bought for one specific recipe and never touched again. Expired bottles of things I couldn’t pronounce. That random spice blend someone gave me as a gift that I was too polite to throw away.

I was spending money on spices I didn’t use while lacking the basics I actually needed. Sound familiar?

Here’s what I learned about building a spice collection that’s actually useful instead of just impressive-looking. Spoiler: you need way fewer spices than you think.

The Core Five (Start Here)

If you’re building from scratch or want to drastically simplify, these five spices will get you through most basic cooking:

Salt (kosher or sea salt, not just table salt) Black pepper (whole peppercorns with a grinder, not pre-ground) Garlic powder (not garlic salt) Paprika (regular, not smoked yet) Cumin

With just these five, you can make tacos, season chicken, add flavor to vegetables, and cook a surprising amount of food. Everything else is extra.

I know this seems too simple. But I tested it. I cooked for a week using only these five spices, and my food was fine. Not amazing, but totally acceptable. It made me realize how many spices I owned that I literally never used.

The Next Tier (Add These When You’re Ready)

Once you’re comfortable with the core five and actually using them, add these:

Chili powder Italian seasoning (or just dried oregano and basil) Cinnamon Onion powder Crushed red pepper

Now you can make even more things - chili, pasta sauce, French toast, basically anything remotely Italian or Mexican, and you can add heat to whatever needs it.

This is still only 10 spices total. You could fit them all in a small drawer. And you’d be surprised how complete your cooking capabilities are with just these.

The Specialty Spices (Buy As Needed)

These are the spices you buy for specific dishes or cuisines. Don’t buy them “just in case” - buy them when you have a specific plan to use them:

Curry powder (for Indian dishes) Turmeric (health food or Indian cooking) Ginger (Asian dishes, baking) Chinese five-spice (Asian cooking) Smoked paprika (when you want smoky flavor) Cayenne (when you want serious heat) Nutmeg (baking, cream sauces)

I only bought these as I needed them for recipes I was actually making. No more buying turmeric because it’s “healthy” and then never using it.

The Ones I Stopped Buying

Through trial and error, I figured out which spices were a waste of money for me:

Pre-made “seasoning blends” - Usually overpriced and full of salt. I can mix my own.

Anything I can’t remember buying - If I don’t remember getting it, I’m not using it enough to rebuy it.

Expensive vanilla extract - The cheap stuff works fine for most baking. Save money here.

Ground spices in large containers - They go stale before I use them. Small bottles only.

Anything “gourmet” that I bought on impulse - That saffron from the fancy store? Used once. That truffle salt? Never opened.

Your list might be different, but be honest about what you actually use versus what you aspirationally bought.

Fresh vs. Dried: When It Matters

Some things are better fresh, some are fine dried, and some are actually better dried:

Better fresh: - Basil (dried basil tastes like dust) - Cilantro (doesn’t dry well) - Parsley (fresh is brighter) - Ginger (way more potent fresh)

Fine dried: - Oregano - Thyme - Rosemary - Bay leaves

Actually better dried: - Basically all spices (cinnamon, cumin, etc. don’t have fresh versions)

I stopped buying dried basil and cilantro. I either use fresh or skip them. The dried versions don’t add anything useful and just take up space.

The Expiration Reality

Spices don’t go “bad” in the safety sense, but they definitely go stale and flavorless. Here’s when to actually replace them:

Whole spices: 3-4 years Ground spices: 1-2 years Dried herbs: 1-2 years Spice blends: 1-2 years

The smell test works: if it doesn’t smell like anything anymore, it’s dead. Throw it out.

I wrote the purchase date on the bottom of each spice jar with a Sharpie. Now I know exactly when something needs to go. This stopped me from cooking with flavorless cumin that was probably five years old.

Storage That Actually Keeps Them Fresh

Spices hate three things: light, heat, and air. So of course I was keeping mine in a cabinet right next to the stove. Great plan.

Better storage: - Away from the stove and oven - In a drawer or closed cabinet (not a cute open shelf) - In airtight containers - In a cool, dry place

I moved my spices to a drawer away from heat sources, and they stay fresh noticeably longer. The fancy spice rack on the counter looked nice but was basically a spice aging chamber.

How to Actually Use Them

Having spices is useless if you don’t know when to use what. Here’s my basic guide:

Salt and pepper: Everything, always

Garlic and onion powder: When you want garlic/onion flavor without fresh

Paprika: Adds color and mild flavor to chicken, potatoes, roasted vegetables

Cumin: Tacos, chili, anything remotely Mexican or Middle Eastern

Chili powder: Chili, tacos, anything that needs some kick

Italian seasoning: Pasta sauce, Italian-ish anything, pizza

Cinnamon: Oatmeal, French toast, baked goods, some savory dishes

Crushed red pepper: Pizza, pasta, anywhere you want heat

This isn’t comprehensive, but it’s a start. Once you get comfortable with these basics, you’ll naturally start experimenting.

The Toasting Trick

This one change made me feel like a way better cook: toast whole spices before using them.

Heat a dry pan, add whole cumin seeds (or whatever), toast for 30 seconds until fragrant, then grind them. The flavor is incomparable to pre-ground spices.

I don’t do this every time because sometimes I’m lazy. But for special meals or when I want to feel fancy, it makes a huge difference.

Buying Tips That Save Money

Buy small amounts: Unless you’re cooking the same thing constantly, small bottles prevent waste.

Buy from bulk bins: Many stores let you buy tiny amounts of spices from bulk bins. Great for trying new things.

Skip the fancy brands: The expensive organic spice isn’t noticeably better for most cooking. Save money on basics.

Buy whole when possible: Whole peppercorns, cumin seeds, etc. stay fresh way longer than ground.

Check ethnic grocery stores: Indian, Middle Eastern, and Asian grocery stores often have spices for a fraction of grocery store prices.

I buy my basics in small amounts from regular stores, and specialty spices from ethnic markets where they’re way cheaper and fresher.

The “Use It or Lose It” Rule

Every few months, I challenge myself to use up spices before buying new ones. I pick a spice I haven’t used in a while and find recipes that feature it.

This has two benefits: 1. I actually use what I have instead of buying more 2. I discover whether I actually like that spice or if I can let it go

If I keep avoiding a spice during these challenges, it gets donated or thrown out. If I don’t want to use it when I’m specifically trying to, I’ll never use it naturally.

Building Your Collection Over Time

Don’t try to buy everything at once. Start with the core five, cook with them until you’re comfortable, then add one or two more.

Every time you find a recipe you want to make that requires a new spice, that’s when you buy it. This way you’re building a collection based on what you actually cook, not what someone’s list says you “should” have.

My spice collection now is way smaller than it used to be, but I use everything in it regularly. That’s way more valuable than having 40 bottles where half are expired and I can’t remember buying the other half.

The Reality Check

The perfect spice collection is the one you actually use. Mine looks different than yours because we cook different things.

If you make a lot of Indian food, you need different spices than someone who mostly makes Italian food. If you never bake, you don’t need cinnamon and nutmeg taking up space.

Build your collection around your actual cooking, not some idealized version of yourself who makes elaborate meals from scratch every night. Real you is the one who has to use these spices.

Start small, add as needed, use the smell test to know when things are dead, and stop feeling guilty about getting rid of spices you don’t use. Your spice cabinet doesn’t have to look like a professional kitchen. It just has to work for you.

And honestly? Five good, fresh spices that you use regularly are worth more than thirty old ones that you avoid because you can’t remember what half of them are for.