How old is my durkee spice

I did not even know I owned something named Dalmatian Sage Leaves. My true confession in this case is not too bad. I love to garden and keep herb containers out-of-doors. If I want sage, I will grab fresh. That old sage? It is so old it pre-dates my interest in gardening! As you weed out old spices, make a shopping list. Choose the smallest available spice amount sold so that you can use it up before it expires.

Remove any McCormick rectangle metal tins, except black pepper. All of those are at least 15 years old. Examine bottoms of cans and bottles for sell-by dates and use-by dates. If it is past the use-by date, out it goes. If it is past the sell-by date, out it goes if it is over a year old. Missing dates on cans? Missing labels? Ask yourself what you last made with that spice.

Anything in question: Open the container and smell the spice. See if it smells and looks fresh. If it does not bring you that wonderful spicy scent, it is not going to add that wonderful flavor to your dish. Go green! Repurpose the expired jars. Use the clean jars to hold smaller amounts of spices that come are sold in tiny bags that do not seal.

Label and add a date. At any rate, we're betting it's high time your spice rack saw some action. Here's a guide to all the essentials you'll need when you finally get around to cleaning that under-the-radar spot in your kitchen. By Zee Krstic March 27, Pin FB More. Credit: Photo: Greg DuPree. Stay up to date on what healthy means now. If the number is 5, adding 5 makes 10, so the year is If there is a single letter at the end of the code, the spice was produced more than three years ago. Two letters means it's more recent.

Then, to find the month of manufacture, divide the other three digits by The whole number you get is the number of full months before the production month. For example, if the code says E, the container was filled in July To store spices, keep them in a cool, dark place.

Try not to buy more than you will use in 6 months, for the freshest taste. There are now spices in store that come with their own grinder attached. These are really great for whole spices and because the spices are whole, they will last indefinitely. Also spices that are available in leaf form release a lot more flavor when you crush them yourself.