10 Spices & Seasonings To Always Have on Hand

We all have those spices and seasonings we reach for on a regular basis. What spices and seasonings are essential for a new home cook?

Kosher Salt – Kosher Salt is iodine free and tastes much better than regular table salt. It has a larger and more coarse crystal size than most other salts. Kosher Salt is great for seasoning meat and is the most common salt used for cooking in recipes. (Not great for use on the table).
Sea Salt – Sea Salt has less iodine in it than traditional table salt. It is great for both cooking and seasoning at the table. I recommend getting the sea salt grinder container.
Black Pepper – Black Pepper is a great asset when you are cooking. It helps bring any meal together. I have both ground black pepper and a black pepper grinder in my kitchen. I use both in cooking.
Cinnamon – I use cinnamon on an almost daily basis. It is great to add a hint of sweetness to a dish or a smoothie. Cinnamon is a frequently used spice in baking recipes. I always have extra on hand as I use it so much and don’t want to run out. (You never know when you will want to make Snickerdoodles!)
Red Pepper Flakes – A great way to add some punch to a dish. One of my favorite shrimp scampi recipes calls for red pepper flakes and they make the dish so scrumptious.
Cayenne Pepper – Cayenne Pepper adds a little bit of heat to any dish. It is a spice that helps you adjust for your level of spiciness. If you tend to like spicier dishes than you can add a little more – like a little less heat add less.
Garlic Powder – Garlic Powder is great on biscuits (like Red Lobster Biscuits – which are super easy to make), roasted cauliflower and roasted broccoli.
Lemon Pepper Seasoning – A multipurpose seasoning especially good for chicken, fish and vegetables. It adds a ton of flavor to most meals.
Italian Seasoning – One of my most used spices. Great for chicken, vegetables and so much more. My favorite way to use it is for making roasted potatoes.
Ground Mustard – Ground mustard may not be a spice you typically think of having in your kitchen but if you love to cook Asian dishes you will want to have it handy. I have a great recipe for Teriyaki chicken on rice noodles and was surprised that it required ground mustard. I am finding more and more recipes that call for ground mustard.