Hi TL,

We welcome you aboard and hope you will stay with us and enjoy this forum, it is a great place to get info. and post your own info. and share your favorite recipes and sometimes just visit and chat about Life - like your name:D

Cathy

My whole spices usually don't even make it a year here!

I don't trust any use-by dates - once opened - a year and that's it. I usually do it all during the fall of the year when my baking increases dramatically once the weather cools.

Early fall is when I like to make my spice mixes as well and my BBQ mixes I usually make more after Easter - but I use them all year anyway.

I have herbs I dried myself and more than one cabinet full of others.
I use alot of herbs in my cooking.

Thyme, oregano, parsley, sage, cinnamon, rosemary, cumin, tumeric

My two most commonly used spices are Salt and Pepper. I have a whole cabinet full of spices and herbs which have been acquired for making different meals. To me that is the best way to build your spice rack is to just go by the recipes you like and acquire the herbs/spices as you go.