The $1.50 spice packet that outdid my whole cabinet rotation

I was making chili last Tuesday and my usual chili powder tin was almost empty, so I grabbed a packet of the cheap taco seasoning from the gas station market on the corner. That thing had cumin, garlic, and some smoky stuff already mixed in, and it honestly tasted better than the three jars I've been juggling for years. It got me thinking about how I hoard spices for 'serious' cooking but never use them, while the 99 cent packets pull all the weight. Now I keep a stash of those packets for anything saucy or braised, and I've cut my spice spending down to maybe 4 bucks a month. Has anyone else found a random convenience store find that beat out their fancy pantry setup?

2 comments

2 Comments

dakota_nelson4321d ago

You ever notice how the fancy jars just sit there looking pretty while the gas station stuff actually does the job? Same thing happened to me with those little adobo packets, I use them for everything from rice to roasted chickpeas. I stopped buying five different paprika types and just got one decent smoked one, plus a stack of those seasoning packets for when I need flavor fast. The trick is to treat em like a shortcut, not a crutch, so you still add your own fresh stuff on top. My chili game got way better once I stopped being a spice snob and just let the cheap packet do its thing.

kelly_nelson9520d ago

Flipped past an article the other day about how chefs actually prefer certain mass produced spice blends for consistency, and it totally backed up what you're saying. Like, the fancy jars are great for show, but that one packet of sazon or adobo hits the same every single time, no guessing. I started doing the same with my taco seasoning, just the cheap stuff, then I add my own lime and cilantro on top. It's honestly the difference between a Tuesday dinner and a weekend project, and most nights I just need Tuesday. Preach on the smoked paprika too, one good one beats a shelf of dusty little jars every time.