Good Food Needs Spice!

Whether you are a gourmet cook or like to assemble quick meals, having an organized kitchen creates a sense of ease in our homes. It is already challenging enough for most of us to get a healthy meal on the table with the busyness and demands of day to day life. When there is chaos in the kitchen, it can be easy to take the path of least resistance and eat out, or order in, night after night. 

Spices are the defining ingredient for any recipe and are an essential part creating a meal worth staying home for, yet their importance and placement in the kitchen are often overlooked. Imagine how much easier it would be to make nutritious and delectable meals if your spice collection was stocked, organized, placed in an easily accessible location, and was easy to maintain. 

I recently organized our spice collection in my own home, and it has made meal prep so much easier. My husband, Y.E., and I recently moved to Raleigh, NC, after he lived in an apartment for a year and commuted home to Charlotte. Because of this, we had a number of duplicate spices and I had not yet found the most efficient spot to store spice jars and back-stock in our new kitchen. Y.E. is one of those enviable cooks who can whip up anything without a recipe and it tastes amazing. He loves spices, has been known to overbuy and enjoys trying new flavors. I am more of a recipe follower myself, but have fun learning how to incorporate spice into my cooking. 

How To Organize + Store Spices

Following is a step by step guide to get your spices sorted and organized, including some local resources in Raleigh and Charlotte, NC to restock your spices.

Raleigh Spice Stores + Local Resources

When I organized my spices, I found that I was low on a few items and took the opportunity to explore some local resources, beyond my typical trip to the grocery store. 

Savory Spice Shop is located in Lafayette Village, in North Raleigh. I am always trying to reduce, reuse and recycle and what I liked most about this shop is that they offer the option to buy ½ cup bags of spices that fit perfectly into my glass spice jars. They do sell by the jar as well, if you choose not to decant. The customer service was excellent, and the store is charming, well thought out and has an outstanding selection of both single and blended seasonings. They also have a location in Atherton Mill, in Southend Charlotte.

Fresh Market is a smaller grocery store with several locations around the Triangle. Unlike most grocery stores, they sell spices by the bag that are perfect for decanting. They offer a good assortment of individual spices at an affordable price. Fresh Market also has several locations in Charlotte.

Penzeys Spices is located in Cameron Village, west of Downtown Raleigh. The layout of the store is very organized and has a corporate feel. They have a comprehensive assortment of spices and the location is very central. I was disappointed to find that they only offer spices by the bag for large quantities and for smaller amounts it is necessary to purchase in jars. They also have a location at The Arboretum in South Charlotte.

I hope these tips help you create an organized space for your spices, and you enjoy preparing and creating both sweet and savory fare for your friends and family to enjoy! Our Simplify Studio team loves creating spice drawers! Let us know if you need help organizing your kitchen or any other space in your home! Click the button below to connect!