Store spices and herbs in a cool, dry, dark cabinet for best storage conditions.
Do you ever buy a can of herbs and only use it once? It happens to all of us. Then we have a cabinet full of herbs and spices that get old go out of date.
Here’s a general guide for how long to store herbs and spices:
Dry herbs—1-3 years
Ground spices—2-3 years
Whole spices—3-4 years
Seasoning/Herb blends—1-2 years
Extracts (except vanilla extract) – 4 years
Source: Tufts University Health & Nutrition Letter Special Supplement, June 2017
About Karen Blakeslee
The Rapid Response Center was formed in 1995 as a resource for Kansas State University Research & Extension Agents. Resource topics included Food Science, Human Nutrition, Food Service, Textiles, Home Care and other consumer topics. Since that time, the Center has grown to be of valuable assistance to Kansas State University Extension Specialists in those areas.
