The Zero Waste Herb and Spice Cabinet
Visit any supermarket and you’ll see aisles and aisles of herbs and spices. Of course we all get tempted, buy a few jars, then they get left in the cupboard for months or years, until they have no taste left. Most of them are also sold in plastic pots.
These pretty toughened glass jars lets you decant herbs and spices from zero waste stores, and also keep the ingredients dry, with bamboo lids to secure, so they don’t lose taste. The curved edge matt labels are affixed for you.
Herbs and spices not only taste great, but also some have health benefits, though likely not in that great a ratio. But especially if you eat plant-based foods, adding some herbs and spices helps to make the food taste great. Use alongside natural sea salt.
Also read our post on growing your own organic herbs (in pet-friendly gardens). For instance, sage and chives (plus all onion family members) are not safe near animal friends.
Along with salt, some spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, mace along with garlic/onion herbs are toxic near pets. Read more on food safety for people and pets.
Jars with tight lids stop air and moisture from sneaking in. And glass jars are also inert, so won’t (unlike plastic) affect taste.
- Some herbs are best used fresh: parsley (to garnish) mint (good with peas and in desserts), rosemary and oregano (for southern European dishes), sage (more lemony) and basil (good to make vegan pesto).
- Dried thyme is often used in casseroles (as are bay leaves, which are removed after cooking, before eating).
- Black pepper is a staple, buy it as whole peppercorns and grind just before use, for best taste.
- Chilli & Cayenne & Paprika are all hot spices, for Mexican and Hungarian dishes.
- Cardamom is popular in Scandinavian dishes, as well as curry. Other popular Indian spices are cumin, coriander, turmeric (also used as yellow food dye) and garam masala (a blend). Saffron is too expensive for most people.
- Cinnamon and ginger are nice sweet spices, often used in fruit crumbles.
- Nutmeg/mace (toxic to pets) is used in desserts and vegan eggnog!
How to Use Up Leftover Herbs & Spices?
You can’t really. Once they are a few months old, most jarred herbs and spices have no flavour, and there’s not much you can do with them, other than throw them. So the best thing is to only buy ones you use, in small quantities.
Visit your local zero waste shop and take containers, to just buy what you need. Then decant into the jars above. A far better (and cheaper!) idea.
Don’t ‘use up leftover spices’ to deter critters or make sachets etc. They don’t work, could harm pets and also ‘harmless solutions’ like spicing floors can kill small creatures, not just deter. Instead, read our post on humane critter deterrence.
