Learned the hard way about buying bulk spices at the dollar store

I grabbed a bunch of those little spice jars at Dollar Tree thinking I was saving big. Turns out the oregano was mostly stems and the cinnamon tasted like cardboard. Ended up throwing three jars out after one use each, so that's about $4 down the drain. A coworker told me the bulk bins at Winco are way cheaper per ounce and actually taste like something. Now I buy just what I need for a recipe from there instead. Anybody else get burned by cheap store spices?

3 comments

3 Comments

ellis.robert2d ago

That's exactly it. It's a whole mindset shift where we're all just supposed to accept LOWER quality across the board and be grateful it costs a little less upfront. I see it with everything from cheap trash bags that split open on the way to the curb to those plastic storage bins that crack the first time you actually try to use them. We're paying for the ILLUSION of a deal instead of paying for something that actually works. The real cost is always hidden - it shows up in frustration, wasted time, and having to buy the same thing twice. It's like we've all been trained to value the lowest price tag over the actual experience of using the thing.

angela_allen531mo ago

Jeez, is it really that big of a deal? I mean you're out like 4 bucks and some oregano stems. I've definitely bought cheap spices before and just used them anyway even if they weren't perfect. Most people can't even tell the difference once you mix them into a pot of chili or something. It sounds like you're making a mountain out of a molehill over some dried leaves and bark. Just buy the name brand stuff next time if it bothers you that much and move on with your life.

harper_wright1mo ago

Haven't you noticed this is how everything is going these days? People just accept whatever garbage they get because it's cheap and convenient, then wonder why nothing feels worth a damn anymore. It's not about the four bucks or the oregano, it's about the fact that companies know they can sell us literal trash and we'll just shrug. Same thing happens with everything from phone chargers that last three months to clothes that fall apart after two washes. We've all just gotten used to getting screwed over and calling it fine.