Chefs Say You’re Storing Spices Wrong — Here’s the Fix

If your home-cooked meals have been tasting lackluster lately, your spices might be to blame  — but not for the reasons you might think. While most of us are guilty of using expired spices from time to time (I’m pretty sure my mom’s spice cabinet still has faded McCormick bottles from the Nineties), we spoke with professional chefs and food scientists who unanimously agreed. Where you store your spices matters just as much as how fresh they are. And if you put your spice rack above your stove? Just about the worst possible place for them.

Shazo Airtight Spice Storage Containers Set

“One of the biggest mistakes home cooks make is storing spices near heat and light — above the stove or next to an oven is especially damaging,” says Steve DiFillippo, Chef and Owner of Davio’s Northern Italian Steakhouse. “Heat, light, and air are the enemies of spices; they break down essential oils and significantly reduce flavor over time.”

Chef Rick Green, Head of Culinary at Guckenheimer, advises against storing spices in a refrigerator or above your stove for this reason. “Moisture and heat will kill your spices.” He recommends these Shazo Airtight Spice Storage Containers as a go-to solution for home cooks serious about flavor. The set comes with six containers, each with a secure silicone-sealed lid that keeps air and moisture out, which can degrade your spices over time. 

But what’s the science behind keeping your spices as fresh and flavorful as possible? Edmund McCormick, Food Scientist and Founder of Cape Crystal Brands, explains that “most people believe spices have an expiration date, where they ‘go bad’ over time, while in fact what is happening is spices and herbs are being incrementally destroyed through exposure to warmth, light, oxygen, and moisture.” The reason why your spices fail isn’t because of their age, McCormick notes, “Rather, the way they have been treated. Putting them in a drawer, pantry cabinet, or closed cupboard that’s not near heat will keep flavor much longer.” 

While these containers are pretty airtight, you’ll eventually have to open them to season your food. Each comes with a matching spoon, so you’re never shaking spices directly over a steaming pot (another common mistake that introduces moisture). 

The clear labeling system also makes it easy to track purchase dates — something DiFillippo specifically recommends. “Airtight containers are essential to protect freshness, and labeling jars with purchase dates helps keep rotation in check.” The compact, stackable design is perfectly sized for drawer storage, keeping your collection organized and protected from damaging light and heat sources. 

So feel free to throw away those old bottles with the peeling labels and plastic baggies full of spices. At under $25 for the complete set, these containers are a small investment that the pros say will make a noticeable difference in your everyday cooking.

More Spice Storage Solutions to Shop Now

Goiio 8-Ounce Amber Glass Jars, 6-Pack 

OXO Good Grips 4-Piece Mini POP Container Set

Glass Spice Jars with Airtight Bamboo Lids, 20-Pack

Tzerotone 8-Piece Glass Spice Containers 

Mr. Siga Airtight Food Storage Container Set, 4-Pack

At the time of publishing, the price was $25.