How Homemade Seasonings Can Be Kitchen Time Savers
It may not seem like mixing your own seasoning blends could be a kitchen time saver – but it is. Spending 10 minutes in the kitchen to blend a few spices and a couple of extra minutes in the spice aisle will save you time in the long run – I promise!
Of course you could save even more time by just buying those premixed spice blends – but that defeats the goal of being in control of what you’re eating and getting away from over-processed, preservative filled foods. Those pre-packed spice blends are also more expensive, but if none of that matters to you, they’re probably a great fit for you. If it does matter, continue reading.
How Can Homemade Spice Blends Save Time?
I didn’t get it at first either, how can pre-mixing seasonings actually save me time? After all, it’s not that difficult to add herbs and spices when cooking. Plus, when spices are separate you have endless opportunities to create marvelous new spice combos every time you cook.
True – if that actually happens in your kitchen. But that wasn’t happening in mine. I found that I’d often be in such a rush that I didn’t take the time to think about the perfect blend of herbs and spices let alone to find (your spice cupboard is probably neater than mine) and open all those spice jars and measure the right proportions of this herb and that spice. Sad, but true. My steamed green beans that could have been Italian green beans turned simply into green beans with a pat of butter – over and over again.
Now, I take 10 minutes once every two months and make my own homemade seasoning blends. On busy weeknights when I’m in the midst of putting together a meal, I don’t have to look up any recipes, I don’t have to rummage through my spice cupboard for multiple jars, and I don’t have to measure (or eyeball) the correct quantities of each herb. It’s a little thing that has made meal prep less frantic.
Not only am I saving time while in the throes of making supper – but I’m also making tastier dishes! A win-win all around.
My Favorite Homemade Seasoning Blends
- Apple Pie Spice – great for all fruits and baking, not just apples or pies
- Lemon Herb Seasoning – great for veggies, chicken and fish
- Italian Herb Seasoning – great for veggies, soups, sauces and pasta
- Creole Seasoning – great for meats, soups, stews and sauces
- Homemade Taco Seasoning – a great grilling rub or Taco Seasoning/Sauce
- Homemade Spice Blends
- Steak Seasoning – great for all meats and when mixing ground meat for burgers, meatballs or meatloaf
- Popcorn Seasoning Recipes – not just for popcorn!
- Chili Lime Seasoning – great for chicken, fajitas, tortillas, taco salad, etc.
- Chili Cheese Mix – great for steamed veggies, pasta, scrambled eggs, garlic toast or in homemade bread
- BBQ Seasoning – great for chicken, barbecued meat, beer can chicken, pulled pork, ribs, etc,
Getty Stewart is an engaging speaker and writer providing tasty recipes, time-saving tips, and helpful kitchen ideas to make home cooking easy and enjoyable. She is a Professional Home Economist, author of Manitoba’s best-selling Prairie Fruit Cookbook, Founder of Fruit Share, mom and veggie gardener.