Seasoning cubes and powders are quick pick-and-go food sweeteners. They ease our cooking stress. Still, some of our best meals deserve an infusion of even richer flavours. Thus, loads of empty spice jars may keep piling up.
Many of our kitchens play host to an assortment of store-bought spices and herbs. But there is a sound alternative to leaving more empty spice jars lying around.
Herbs and Spices: What are They?
Herbs are valuable plants with pungent and distinct smells and/or tastes. Many herbs are nutritious and edible, but not all.
Spices are parts of any plant - except the leaf - useful as a food additive. They are good for adding colour or flavour to food. Spices also have strong unique smells and/or tastes.
You may harvest and use herbs from your garden. To keep seasonal herbs for off-season use, dry and shred or crush them. Store each one in a big pickle jar with a tamper-proof cover. It should maintain its quality for several weeks.
Repurposing Standard UK Spice Jars: Dimensions & Sizing Guide
Upcycling empty glass seasoning containers is an easy way to reduce waste in your kitchen. However, pairing the right jar capacity with your custom spice blends ensures you don't end up with excess air space that speeds oxidation and reduces the potency of your spice blend over time.
The reference table below outlines common sizes of UK spice jar, their standard volumes, and their ideal upcycled use cases:
|
Jar Size |
Volume |
Seasoning Blends Ideas |
Storage Tip |
|
Mini sample jar |
45ml-50ml |
Chilli powders, saffron blends, travel spice kits, gift favour sets |
Minimises air exposure for sensitive, high-potency ingredients |
|
Small spice jar |
50ml-100ml |
Poultry seasoning (2-3 tbsp yield), pumpkin pie spice, infrequently used blends |
Fill as fully as possible to reduce the air gap above the blend |
|
Standard round or square (Schwartz-style) |
100ml-120ml |
High-use daily blends: chilli blend, taco seasoning, Sunday roast herb rub |
It fits shaker tops easily; keep away from direct heat above the hob |
|
Tall slim cylinder |
150ml-180ml |
Bulk BBQ rubs, peri-peri blends, coarse sea salt flakes, curry powder |
Excellent capacity for batch cooking or outdoor grilling prep |
|
Medium jar |
180ml-250ml |
Chilli blend, curry powder, taco seasoning, pumpkin pie spice (6-8 tbsp yield) |
An airtight lid is important; these sizes are prone to air gaps if underfilled |
|
Large storage jar |
250ml-500ml |
BBQ dry rub (1 cup yield), double-batch quantities, bulk whole spices before grinding |
Store bulk blend here and pour into smaller jars for everyday use |
How to Deodorise & Clean Used Spice Jars: Step-by-Step
Before filling your glass jars with fresh herbs or sweet seasonings like cinnamon sugar, you must thoroughly remove lingering essential oils, strong aromas (like curry powder or garlic), and old label adhesive.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to clean used spice jars:
1. Soak Away Labels and Glue Residue
Place the empty glass jars in warm water mixed with 2 tablespoons of washing liquid and 2 tablespoons of soda crystals. Allow them to soak for 20 minutes; the old paper labels and adhesive should slide off smoothly.
2. Remove Lingering Aroma/Odour
Pungent spices like cumin or chilli can absorb into rubber seals or cling to glass inner walls. Fill the jar with an equal-parts mixture of warm water and white vinegar, plus 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. Leave it to sit overnight to absorb tough odours.
3. Sterilise and Air-Dry Completely
Wash the jars thoroughly with clean water. Place the glass jars on a baking sheet in an oven heated to 100°C for 10-12 minutes. Ensure the jars are 100% dry before filling; even a single drop of moisture will cause ground spices to clump and mould.
Pro Tip: Ensure you identify if the glass jars are heat-resistant jars before deciding the method of sterilisation to use.
4. Apply Shaker Tops and Custom Labels
Snap your clean plastic shaker inserts back into place, fill with your custom blend, and apply a water-resistant, custom label with the blend name and date.
How to Make a Seasoning Blend
It is best to buy dried whole spices and/or herbs in bulk from local stores. You can prepare and store sizable amounts of seasoning blends inside big pickle jar. The whole lot may serve you for up to 6 months of active use. The procedure is quite easy:
- Sterilize big pickle jar and empty spice jars ahead of the preparation. Check that they have airtight lids. The best empty spice jars you can use are those with inner shaker lids.
- Pulverize each spice in a spice or coffee grinder. Or if you have a food processor, put it to work.
- Thereafter, use a spatula or spoon to mix them in a clean bowl.
- Refill the empty spice jars with your seasoning blends. To reduce spills, use a neat funnel. Seal and label each jar with firmness.
Remember to store all your seasoning blends in cool places. Never expose them to sunlight or moisture. And avoid direct contact between raw meat and any unused seasoning. This will prevent contamination of the seasoning blend.
Top 7 Recipes for DIY Seasoning Blends
Recipes for seasoning blends are as diverse as your mind can conjure. However, there are famous blends you should have in your collection. Aside from this, you can control the amount of ingredients in your custom blends.
Here are 7 top recipes for seasoning blends you should prepare at home.
How Long Do DIY Seasoning Blends Last in a Spice Jar?
Homemade seasoning blends don't have a preservative-extended shelf life the way commercial products do, but when stored properly in airtight glass jars, they can last a long time. Here's what to expect:
● Blends made from ground spices only (such as the BBQ rub or curry powder) can last at their best flavour for up to 6 months in an airtight glass jar stored away from heat and light.
● Blends containing dried herbs (such as the poultry seasoning or seafood rub) are best used within 3-4 months, as dried herbs lose their potency faster than ground spices.
● Blends containing salt or sugar (such as the BBQ dry rub or taco seasoning) are technically shelf-stable almost indefinitely, but the flavour of the other spices in the blend will diminish over time, so 6 months is still a practical use-by guide.
● Always label your jars with the blend name and the date made. If a blend has lost its aroma when you open the jar, it won't contribute much flavour to your cooking; at that point, it's worth making a fresh batch.
Pro Tips to Maximise the Shelf Life of Your DIY Blends
● Store in a Cool, Dark Pantry: Sunlight degrades the natural volatile oils in herbs and spices, robbing your homemade rubs of flavour and colour. Keep your upcycled jars in a dedicated spice drawer or enclosed cupboard rather than exposed open shelves near the stove.
● Opt for Hermetic or Rubber Seals: While standard screw-top lid shakers work well for high-turnover spices, use rubber-gasket clip-top jars or airtight plastic-lined metal lids for long-term storage.
● Label with Preparation Dates: Whole spices last up to 3 years, but ground spices begin losing potency after 6 to 12 months. Always write the prep date on your label so you know when it’s time to make a fresh batch.
Poultry Seasoning
Use it as a rub to flavour turkey or turkey for roasting. It could be whole or cut pieces. It also goes well with casseroles, stews, and stuffings.
Enough for: 2 to 3 tablespoons
- Dried thyme: 1 ½ teaspoons
- Onion powder: 1 pinch
- Rosemary: 1 pinch
- Dried sage: 1 tablespoon
- Dried marjoram: 2 tablespoons
- Dried parsley: 2 teaspoons
- Dried savory: 2 tablespoons
Chili Blend
Good in tacos, chilis, potato, and french fries, among other dishes. It is best to start by adding half of the pepper to the mix. Then add the remainder in small amounts, each time tasting it. That way, you can choose the desired level of hotness.
Enough for 6 tablespoons
- Chili powder: 2 tablespoons
- Garlic powder: 1 teaspoon
- Onion powder: 1 teaspoon
- Ground cumin: 2 tablespoons
- Dried oregano: 2 teaspoons
- Paprika: 2 teaspoons
An alternative to using chili is to add ground cayenne pepper.
Pumpkin Pie Spice Blend
Good for many pumpkin dishes and several autumn-baked recipes.
Enough for ½ cup or 8 tablespoons
- Ground cinnamon: 4 tablespoons
- Ground ginger: 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon
- Ground nutmeg: 1 teaspoon
- Ground allspice: 2 teaspoons
- Ground cloves: 2 teaspoons
You may add between half and one teaspoon each of other optional spices. Ground cardamom, white and black peppers, and/or aniseed are choice additives.
Taco Seasoning
This seasoning blend is good for poultry or beef, and even pork.
Enough for ½ cup or 8 tablespoons
- Kosher salt: 1½ tablespoons
- Minced garlic: 2 teaspoons
- Onion powder: 2 teaspoons
- Chili powder: 4 tablespoons
- Black pepper: ¾ teaspoon
- Dried oregano: 1 teaspoon
- Ground cumin: 1 tablespoon
- Ground coriander: 1 teaspoon
Curry Powder Blend
This recipe is for Thai curry. The taste is mellow. But you may decide to use a higher or lower amount of chili. There are several other recipes for curry powder.
Enough for ½ cup or 8 tablespoons
- Ground ginger: 2 teaspoons
- Ground/whole white pepper: 1 teaspoon
- Ground/whole cumin seeds: 2 tablespoons
- Turmeric: 1 tablespoon
- Chili/cayenne pepper flakes: 1 to 3 teaspoons
- Ground/whole coriander: 3 tablespoons
- Ground cloves: A pinch
- Bay leaves: 3 of them. Remove the lower stem
BBQ Dry Rub
Good sprinkled on barbecued chicken, beef, or pork before preparation.
Enough for 1 cup or 16 teaspoons
- Chili powder: 2 teaspoons
- Paprika: ⅓ cup, or a little above 5 tablespoons
- Sugar: 4 tablespoons
- Salt: 2 tablespoons
- Cayenne pepper: ½ teaspoon
- Ground white pepper: 1 teaspoon
- Ground black pepper: 2 tablespoons, fresh-made
- Dry mustard: 2 teaspoons
Seafood Rub
A good rub for fish and other seafood before baking or grilling. You may also add other herbs. Oregano, thyme, dill, parsley, coriander, bay leaf, and lemon zest are good additives. You can vary the amounts of salt and/or pepper according to your needs.
Enough for ⅔ cup or about 11 tablespoons
- Ground black pepper: 1 tablespoon
- Cayenne pepper: ½ teaspoon
- Kosher salt: 1 tablespoon
- Celery salt: 2 tablespoons
- Allspice: ½ teaspoon
- Ground ginger: 2 teaspoons
- Dried minced garlic: 4 teaspoons
- Nutmeg: ½ teaspoon
- Dry mustard: 1 teaspoon
- Paprika: 2 teaspoons
Summary of All 7 DIY Seasoning Blends
Here's a quick overview of all seven blends covered:
|
Spice Blend |
Best Used For |
Yield |
|
Poultry Seasoning |
Roast chicken, turkey, casseroles, stuffing |
2-3 tablespoons |
|
Chilli Blend |
Tacos, chilli con carne, potato wedges |
6 tablespoons |
|
Pumpkin Pie Spice |
Pumpkin dishes, autumn bakes, porridge |
½ cup (8 tablespoons) |
|
Taco Seasoning |
Chicken, beef, pork, vegetarian tacos |
½ cup (8 tablespoons) |
|
Curry Powder Blend |
Thai-style curries, rice dishes, marinades |
½ cup (8 tablespoons) |
|
BBQ Dry Rub |
Barbecued chicken, beef, pork |
1 cup (16 tablespoons) |
|
Seafood Rub |
Fish, prawns, and seafood before baking or grilling |
⅔ cup (11 tablespoons) |
Conclusion
When you make seasoning blends for yourself, you gain more. It is an opportunity to use fresh ingredients. Again, you can get the desired combination of tastes. Above all, you can make quantities large enough to keep for several months.
To this end, employ those big pickle jars lying unused around the house. Transfer smaller quantities of the seasoning blend into empty spice jars.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Can I reuse plastic spice jars for homemade seasoning blends?
You can, but glass is a better choice. Plastic jars absorb odours and flavours from previous contents, which can taint your new blend, particularly with strongly aromatic spices like cumin, curry, or smoked paprika. Glass spice jars are non-porous, easier to sterilise fully, and don't retain previous smells.
How do I remove the smell from an empty spice jar before reusing it?
Wash the jar with hot soapy water, then fill it with a solution of bicarbonate of soda and warm water and leave for 30 minutes before rinsing thoroughly. Sterilising in the oven at 100°C for 10-12 minutes afterwards removes any remaining odour and bacteria.
Do I need special jars for storing spice blends?
Any clean, airtight glass jar works well. The most important factor is the seal; a properly airtight lid prevents moisture getting in, which is the main cause of caking and loss of flavour in dried spice blends. Jars with inner shaker lids are a good choice if you want to shake the blend directly onto food while cooking.
Related Resources for Your UK Kitchen
● Shop Our Range of Airtight Jars & Spice Containers
● How to Make Your Own Custom Spice Storage Jars
● 13 'Must-Have' Little Glass Jars of Spices for Every UK Kitchen