Spice Mixes - Are they just for gifting?

[Beowulf]

Beowife brought up an interesting question the other day: What percentage of pre-made spice mixes that are purchased actually get used?

This was inspired by the fact that we cook at home almost every day and make a concentrated effort to use the spice mixes (and bbq rubs, and fancy salts, etc) that we're given, but they still last for years and some end up getting thrown out after they go flavorless.

(And the follow-on question: How much "hot cocoa mix in a mason jar" gets used?)

 

[JBear]

I mean, maybe this is too simple to count, but there's a salt/pepper/garlic/onion powder mix we use on sandwiches and we go through it at an alarming rate.

Other than that, if I could buy some of the meal kit spice mixes instead of trying to cobble them together based on Reddit suggestions and my own best taste guesses, I absolutely would use them on the reg.

Frankly, if you gift me pretty much anything that is edible, I will eventually consume all of it and probably enjoy doing it.

 

[Kirin]

I have to admit there are definitely quite a few random spice mixes *and* cocoa mix in my kitchen cabinets that I should really try to get around to using.

 

[Violentvixen]

We use our mixes and have also made our own since I can't buy Five Spice mix around here. I have loved everything I've ever gotten from Savory Spice and we can just refill jars. I think since we don't eat much meat and that's something people know about us we don't get gifted them too often. Also my mom is anaphylactic-shock level allergic to black pepper and I'm sensitive to it too so we don't get or use that much either.

Just about anything can be mixed with scrambled eggs so if there's ever one we're puzzled by that goes to me for eggs or a quiche. My spouse likes harissa mix on toast too.

How much "hot cocoa mix in a mason jar" gets used?

Oh man I hate these so much. One year a friend gave out mixes she'd made for Christmas that were in glass orb ornaments. She joked about how hard it was to get the marshmallows in through the opening at the top. So I looked at her and said "then how do we get the mix out?" and immediately felt terrible because that had clearly not occurred to her and her face fell. A nice but poorly executed gift.

But I so strongly recommend the tablets. So much better than anything else.

Full disclosure: Nestle isn't a great company so I know a lot of people try to avoid them and support Ibarra instead. But I honestly do not think the Ibarra ones are nearly as good which is a bummer.

 

[Daikaiju]

Hot chocolate... tablets?

 

[Falselogic]

I wish friends were giving me spice mixes... The only one we buy is pumpkin spice mix which gets used in all sorts of baking and then the Everything Bagel mix which gets put on everything.

 

[Violentvixen]

Hot chocolate... tablets?

So. Much. Better. Than. Powder.

I do spray drying (which is how essentially all powdered milk is made) for work and even I must admit tablets are better! Not easier to make of course, have to acknowledge that.

 

[Paul le Fou]

I have a mala spice mix from Fly By Jing that I used just the other day on some brussels sprouts. I've typically thrown together a bunch of random single spices when cooking, but honestly I'm thinking I might just get spice mixes going forward. A curry masala or a zaatar or five spice mix would be easier to grab and more distinct than me throwing in cinnamon and cumin or cardamom. Or pumpkin spice mix for sweet things, since I basically put all the same things in anyway when I'm doing sweet spices.