Keep spices away from heat, light, and moisture, all of which shorten shelf life.

To check the freshness of a dried spice, crumble a bit between your fingers and smell it. If it smells lively, it’s still good.

Jarred whole spices are typically at their best for two years while ground spices stay fresh for about one year.

To “dry clean” a spice grinder, grind raw white rice in it, then dump it out and wipe out the grinder with a damp cloth.