Forget Convenience Packets: How To Make Spice Mixes
Estimated reading time: 8 minutes
Discover the cost-cutting benefits of making your spice mixes. Cook homemade meals and save on pre-made and packaged foods.
Making spice mixes at home is a simple way to cut costs and easily prep and cook meals.
With most families having two working parents in Canada, convenience in the kitchen seems a popular route.
Besides the ease of ordering fast food using Uber Eats and DoorDash, pre-made and packaged foods can be just as costly.
Take-out pizza, for example, is on the menu at least once a week, and that’s when parents can chill out and get some backlogged housework done or spend time with the family.
Unfortunately, not all families can afford this, and it’s not as healthy as making homemade food.
Spice Packets vs. Homemade Spice Mixes
Since we are trying to lower our overall budgeting costs, we wanted to find ways to keep the budget within reach.
Let’s look at spices and those prepared packets we all buy.
How many of you have bags and bottles of spices thrown in a drawer or a cupboard?
That’s right; I’m talking to you.
I know you are shaking your head, saying yes, I’m guilty!
That’s okay; we used to be that way as well.
I’m betting most of your spices are outdated or stale because you don’t use them often enough.
The price of convenience reels you in, and the spices fade into non-existence.
Reasons why people don’t use spices and opt for packets
- Lack of organization
- No desire to make homemade spice mixtures
Last year, Mrs.CBB and I found we had so many spices but struggled to keep them organized in the cupboard.
Our favorite cook, Chef Michael Smith, on the Food Network Canada, gave us an idea! Spices in Mason Jars!
Now, we only wish we had the same pantry as him.
Spice Packets Are Convenience Foods
Some common convenience spice packets are chili, meatloaf, beef stew, sloppy joes, and shepherd’s pie.
You can buy these for $1.29 a pack or more sometimes cheaper if they are on sale $0.99.
Use one of these packs once a week for a year at regular price, and it will cost you just over $67.00.
Below, we will look at a simple recipe and what you will need to make it taste flavourful without the spice packets.
These recipes are for the crock pot; however, you need a simple spice stash, whether you make them on the stove, in the oven, or in the slow cooker.
Here is an easy Taco Seasoning Mix you can make at home for a fraction of the price of the packets.
Make taco seasoning in big batches and store it in an air-tight container, ready when you are.
Copycat Hidden Valley Ranch Seasoning Mix
Ditch the store-bought seasoning packets. This homemade Ranch Seasoning Mix takes moments to make, with ingredients you’ll likely have already! Perfect for DIY ranch dressing or homemade ranch dip.
Everything Bagel Seasoning
Pumpkin Spice Mix
Crockpot Chili
Crock Pot (Slow Cooker) Chili with beans requires only salt, chili powder, pepper, cumin, cayenne, oregano, and coriander.
Why do you need a spice packet?
Ingredients
- 2 medium onions, finely chopped
- 5 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons red wine
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped
- 2 stalks celery, finely sliced
- 6 Roma tomatoes, chopped
- 30 ounces of kidney beans, canned, rinsed and drained
- 6 ounces tomato paste
- 8 ounces frozen corn kernels
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
- 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1-1/2 cups non-fat chicken or vegetable broth
Choose Spice Mixes You Use Often
You don’t need a chef’s cupboard of spices, but you do need to have the ones you will need most often.
Researching your favorite recipes and noting the spices you commonly use is essential to saving money.
Make a spice list of each you need for regular recipes in your meal plan rotation.
As your recipe list grows, you may add spices to your pantry.
Related: List of commonly used spices
Plant Herbs In Pots
Growing herbs in Canada is easy and inexpensive; you can keep them yearly.
If you are an avid gardener, you can quickly grow herbs and dry or dehydrate them for off-season use.
You may also find purchasing spices online from a Canadian store, Silk Road Spices, or other sites a cheaper alternative!
Take advantage of any coupons to your local bulk store and purchase your most used spices from the bulk store.
Organization is Important- Your mind tells you to use them when they look pretty!
Ways To Label Your Spice Containers
We labelled our mason jars with paper sticker labels, which we purchased at the grocery store, although we have seen them at Dollar Store.
You can order custom spice labels online or find them on Amazon Canada or Temu.
Another fun and economical way to label spice mixes or jars is by using colored china markers.
Save some money in the budget, and get organized in the kitchen with our homemade spice mix tips.
With some homework, you can make your time in the kitchen efficient and easy on the budget.
Discussion: What homemade spice mixes do you make to save money?
Please share your comments below.
Thanks for reading,
Mr. CBB
Related Articles:
- How we designed our Budget Step 1 (canadianbudgetbinder.com)
- Using Vinegar to Clean up your Budget (canadianbudgetbinder.com)
- Ten Ways to Cut Your Grocery Budget (canadianbudgetbinder.com)
- Canadian Stockpiling Tips (canadianbudgetbinder.com)
- How Much Should My Grocery Budget Be? (canadianbudgetbinder.com)
