Almost ruined a whole batch of lentils with a cheap spice blend

I was making my usual lentil soup last Tuesday in my tiny kitchen, and I grabbed this dollar store chili powder I had bought a few months back. Had no idea it was mostly salt and filler, so I dumped in two tablespoons like a fool. The soup turned into a salty brine that literally made my lips pucker, I had to toss the whole pot and start over. I lost about $4 worth of lentils and veggies plus an hour of simmering time. Now I only buy spices from the bulk bins at my local co-op where I can see the ingredients listed. Has anyone else gotten burned by those super cheap seasoning packets?

2 comments

2 Comments

kareng273d ago

Check the fine print on those blends, a lot of them have sugar or maltodextrin as the second ingredient to bulk it up. I started reading the back of every spice packet after I bought "Italian seasoning" that was basically oregano and garlic powder with salt and cornstarch. The bulk bins are a lifesaver for getting exactly what you need without the filler.

the_henry2d ago

@kareng27 you're totally right about that Italian seasoning scam. It happened to me with chili powder once. Bought a big jar from the regular grocery aisle and got home and realized it was like 40% corn flour and salt. The actual chili flavor was barely there. Now I just make my own blends when I can, even if it means buying a few extra jars of individual spices. The cost adds up faster that way but at least you know what you're getting. I found this out the hard way after trying to season a big batch of chili and it came out tasting like salty cardboard. My wife still gives me crap about that dinner.