Dieselsmom
November 19th, 2008, 08:37 AM
Use of spices is important as it takes you away from using only salt to flavour your food but spices, when purchased in the tiny bottles can be expensive. It is cheaper to purchase in the "bulk" bags but then the problem becomes one of how to store them so that they are easily accessible and easy to locate. I've come up with a method that meets both criteria for the ones that I use regularly.
First, I saved the tins that canned goods come in, i.e. creamed corn, peas, etc. I removed the top entirely and washed them out. At the same time, I began saving the little jars that Smuckers Jam comes in. These are the perfect size to slip in and out of the food tins and they also are just the right size to hold the contents of one of those bags of spices.. When I had 9 or 12 of the food tins saved up, I used a bit of calking to hold them together in a stack. Either 3 cans up and 3 cans across or 4 and 3 or whatever size you want. Now the spices that I had rolled in their bags and tossed in a basket in the cupboard, I moved over to the bottles. A bit of masking tape on the lid, with the contents written on it and I now have the entire contents of the bag sitting nicely in the rack that I've made. The jars are also big enough that I can use a measuring tsp to scoop out what I need instead of having to shake out what I need from the tiny bottles.
I love organizing methods that use stuff that would otherwise go to the dump or the recycler. It also tidies up your cupboard beautifully and it is cheaper to buy spices like this than to buy the little bottles.
First, I saved the tins that canned goods come in, i.e. creamed corn, peas, etc. I removed the top entirely and washed them out. At the same time, I began saving the little jars that Smuckers Jam comes in. These are the perfect size to slip in and out of the food tins and they also are just the right size to hold the contents of one of those bags of spices.. When I had 9 or 12 of the food tins saved up, I used a bit of calking to hold them together in a stack. Either 3 cans up and 3 cans across or 4 and 3 or whatever size you want. Now the spices that I had rolled in their bags and tossed in a basket in the cupboard, I moved over to the bottles. A bit of masking tape on the lid, with the contents written on it and I now have the entire contents of the bag sitting nicely in the rack that I've made. The jars are also big enough that I can use a measuring tsp to scoop out what I need instead of having to shake out what I need from the tiny bottles.
I love organizing methods that use stuff that would otherwise go to the dump or the recycler. It also tidies up your cupboard beautifully and it is cheaper to buy spices like this than to buy the little bottles.