The subject of using herbs and spices for cooking and healing is huge and as such I just wanted to touch on it here. As always, for more info feel free to do some research. Recently I was talking to a friend that had lost his job. Fortunately he had planned ahead and been diligent about acquiring food storage. As we talked he let me know that although wheat, beans, honey and salt can keep you alive they get incredibly boring and continued by saying that the one thing he wished he had bought more of were spices. I know this may seem obvious but how many of us have a year supply of spices? If you're like me you never really paid attention to your spice rack. It is one of those items that gets replaced only when necessary. The nice thing is, because most are dried they will last nearly indefinitely.The other thing to consider is that spices have valuable micro nutrients that your diet will otherwise be lacking. They also add a sense of comfort and help to add a familiar flavor no matter the underlying food. Spices can also be used for herbal medicinal purposes if you know how to use them. Sam's Club carries a wide selection of bulk spices for a decent price. We've also found cheap spices in the Hispanic foods section of Fry's (any grocery store should have them). These spices come in small bags and seem to be of decent quality. We use empty baby food jars as needed to store these spices. One of the most important spices which should already be included in your food storage is salt. I will do another article on its numerous uses later. As with all your other year supply store what you use and use what you store.
~ Casey
