Since ancient times, people have been using flavoring additives to food - spices and herbs. They give food a unique aroma, have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, and promote better absorption of cooked dishes. Some types are used in the preparation of canned food. Seasonings are of plant origin and can be used fresh or dried. To preserve the aromatic properties, it is important to follow the rules for their storage.
Storage conditions for spices and seasonings
In the store, spices are sold in glass jars or bags made of paper and heat-sealable materials. The maximum permissible weight for retail packages is 100 g. Once the package is opened and spices are used, they must be stored correctly for further use.
Light
Daylight and direct sunlight negatively affect the taste of spices and lead to fading. The best option would be a dark storage place: on the shelves of kitchen cabinets with blank doors or in light-proof containers. A shelf in the pantry is also a good option. A refrigerator is also suitable for these purposes.
Temperature
The essential oils that make up most spices evaporate quickly at elevated temperatures. Therefore, spices should be sealed and stored at moderate temperatures. The optimal indicator is no higher than +20°C.
Open storage
To make seasonings look beautiful and neat, they need to be stored in identical jars.
.
Storing in original packaging and jars of different colors, sizes and shapes does not look attractive and is unlikely to decorate the kitchen: no matter how beautiful a shelf or stand they are placed on, the different packaging will still create a feeling of untidiness and disorder. The same applies to labels - if you are signing jars, all labels must be made in the same style
.
Shelves for spices in the kitchen set
- This is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and convenient solutions for open storage. If you are in the process of choosing kitchen furniture and want to store seasonings on open shelves, then the best option is to order them as part of the set.
The only thing you should pay attention to when ordering is the height at which the small drawers will be located (if they are present in the project). Make sure you are tall enough to easily look into them
Two of my friends had the same funny situation: they both had to stand on a stool for this purpose. Only one friend has drawers that can be pulled out freely, so she doesn’t have any particular problems using them. But another friend has them firmly mounted into the base, so she cannot use them normally.
Open shelves
also a great solution for storing spices. They delightfully transform the kitchen if you successfully match them with the rest of the interior. The use of shelves gives unlimited scope for imagination: you can find a beautiful ready-made option, or you can make them yourself or beautifully decorate the purchased product.
There are interesting collage shelves on sale that can give the kitchen a unique coziness and charm.
The main secret to conveniently storing spices on shelves is that they should be very shallow - literally enough for one jar. Otherwise, the seasonings will stand in several rows, covering each other. Needless to say, every time the required jar will end up in the farthest corner, and in order to get it, you will have to “dig up” the entire shelf? And this is long, inconvenient and instantly creates a mess.
Railings
quite often used for open storage of seasonings in the kitchen. They are convenient and functional, take up minimal space and can be made in a wide variety of styles and designs. In addition to the usual matte or chrome roof rails made of white metal, the modern market offers collections in gold, bronze, brass, black and brown, etc. Thanks to a wide variety of styles and shades, beautiful and comfortable rails can be easily matched to any kitchen.
Another popular way is to store seasonings on a stand.
. The large number of commercially available options makes it easy to choose the product that is optimal in size, functionality and appearance.
This solution provides another additional benefit - the ability to easily move spices from place to place, which can be very useful from a practical point of view. For example, if you want to have all your seasonings at hand while cooking, but you don’t like the idea of open storage due to dust and dirt settling on them, then storage on a stand will be the best option for you: before you start cooking, just put it’s next to the hob, and then just put it in the closet.
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Magnetic jars
for spices - this is a very convenient, functional and quite original way to openly store seasonings in the kitchen, making it possible to place them on any metal surface.
Another original solution could be the placement of seasonings under wall cabinets. Technically, this is done in 3 ways: magnetic strips for metal containers or lids, a metal sheet for magnetic jars, or regular rotary lids for screwing jars of seasonings into them (for example, baby food) are attached to the bottom surface of the wall cabinet.
It is very important to choose beautiful identical jars so that this original solution does not look cheap and sloppy
To organize open storage of spices, you can adopt a few more unusual ideas:
Storage in a special chest of drawers
, which combines the advantages of both open and closed methods.
Storage in test tubes
. To prevent the test tubes from falling into the holes in the wooden shelf, rubber O-rings are placed on them. And the test tubes on the stand can be stored either openly or closed - inside the cabinet.
Storage in bags on railings
How to store spices?
Spices and seasonings should be stored in tightly closed containers. These can be glass, metal, plastic, wooden jars with lids that ensure tightness. You can buy containers specially designed for this, or adapt them for storing baby food jars and juices. If the housewife decides to use improvised containers, each jar must be provided with a sticker with its name.
Also, after opening the original packaging, you can leave the spices in paper containers. And to preserve the aroma, securely close the torn edge with a clothespin or clip.
Where can you store it in the kitchen?
There are many storage ideas. Placement depends on the size of the kitchen space and the amount of spices used. The most reliable way would be a closed kitchen shelf. Open is also suitable if the jars are made of dark glass that does not allow light to pass through.
If you only use a few types of seasonings, they can be stored on the kitchen counter, packed in a small drawer or organizer. It can also be attached to the wall, observing the rule of distance from the stove, sink, and window openings. If it is impossible to allocate a special place for shelves on the wall, you can provide for their placement on the inside of the kitchen cabinet doors.
You can also create a corner of shelves for storage in the kitchen. For ease of use, it is better to organize the placement of jars inside cabinets and on shelves in an angled position. In this case, the contents of the container are visible, and the desired product is quickly found.
How to easily check the suitability of spices
There are simple folk ways to check the quality of seasonings. It is necessary to pour boiling water over a small amount of spice powder. After a few minutes, the liquid should acquire a bright, rich color. If the water turns gray, then the seasoning can be thrown away.
It is also recommended to smell the seasoning. If it has no aroma, then there is no need to use it in the cooking process. But if the smell is weak, then you can add 2 times more spices than the recipe.
Can it be stored inside the refrigerator?
The refrigerator is best for fresh herbs. They can be placed in the freezer and taken out as needed. They retain taste and color well when frozen. The greens are finely chopped and placed in plastic bags or containers.
It is not recommended to store dry spices inside the refrigerator, because high humidity can lead to loss of taste. Opened paper bags from the store cannot be stored there. The jars can be placed in the refrigerator, but the seal must be strictly controlled.
Materials for making spice sets
When decorating a kitchen island, spice sets are often used.
Such kits contain from two to eight containers. Traditionally these are jars for salt and pepper. The set includes jars for aromatic herbs and pepper.
Containers for spices can have small holes or have a fully opening lid. Such containers are equipped with a teaspoon.
Beautiful containers are made from the following materials:
- Glass can be transparent or colored and with ornaments.
- Ceramic material is environmentally friendly.
- Metal products are suitable, but only moisture-resistant ones.
- Wood makes lightweight containers.
Common mistakes
Spices are expensive, so it is better not to make mistakes when storing and using them. Common mistakes include:
- Using large capacity jars. They are often opened, which leads to the evaporation of the aroma.
- Lids that don't close tightly. They allow moisture and air to pass through. Water will turn the ground product into lumps that do not dissolve well.
- Failure to adhere to dry conditions. Remove the ground product from the jar only with a dry, clean spoon. Otherwise, moisture that gets into the jar can lead to spoilage.
- Add directly to a boiling dish. Steam penetrating inside the container can compress the dry residue and cause it to become unusable.
- Place jars near the stove or sink. Excess moisture and heat lead to loss of taste.
Using aromatic additives to dishes will make the taste brighter and richer. To achieve this, it is enough not to make mistakes and follow the storage conditions for spices.
Take care of the cereal!
If the phrase “cereal container” makes you associate with a round tin can with polka dots, then you were born in the USSR. Fortunately, the modern home goods market offers customers much more pleasant and elegant storage dishes: ceramic, glass, plastic. Tin cans also look more elegant and elegant than their Soviet “grandmothers”.
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For flour, semolina, salt and sugar, glass jars with well-ground lids or plastic containers with rubber gaskets are best suited. Tin containers and boxes in most cases are not completely airtight, but they are also suitable for storing pasta, buckwheat, lentils and peas.
Even if your jars are very beautiful, you should not store them on open shelves, especially above the stove or sink. Sunlight, heat and moisture rising from pans can spoil bulk products ahead of schedule.
Shelf life of herbs and spices
The shelf life of spices is regulated by regulatory and technical documentation for a specific type of product and can reach several years, but over time they begin to lose aroma, color, and taste. When buying seasonings in a store, you should pay attention to the date of manufacture - this will determine how long the spices are stored. Sealed factory packaging guarantees the preservation of taste for a long time. After the expiration date, seasonings remain suitable for food, but lose their characteristic aroma and taste. If after some time the spice loses color or acquires an unpleasant odor, in this case it should be thrown away.
Seasoning can either enhance the taste of any dish or ruin it. Improper storage can lead to spoilage, so it is important to find a place for it that is protected from direct sunlight, monitor the tightness of the container, prevent overheating or moisture, and follow simple rules when preparing food.
How long can one package be used?
When a new spice appears in the kitchen, we strive to find out how long the seasoning with the original taste will last. That is, how quickly it will disappear. Professionals will tell you that whole grains retain their properties longer than ground grains. Therefore, they should be crushed immediately before adding to the dish , and stored in their original form. Thus, they retain their taste for 2-3 years or more , and packaged ones quickly wear out.
Freshly picked herbs can be kept in a cool place for no more than a week ; dried herbs are edible for two years . Hard-shelled seeds and plant roots will add flavor to your dishes even after 4 years . Nuts and dried fruits diversify the menu for three years, after which they go rancid.
