Why You Shouldn't Buy Spices At The Dollar Store

Everyone loves a good dollar store. How can you not? So many bargains to be had for just a buck. Of course, as the Bargain Babe points out, quality can be an issue with some products, but in general, you can purchase everything from holiday and celebration supplies to everyday household products and staples for a fraction of the cost of buying them at a regular grocery store. Except sometimes you really aren't getting a steal at a dollar store. That seems like an oxymoron, but if you do a quick internet search, you will find lists of things that are not worth spending your dollar(s) on at dollar stores.

In fact, one group of items you might want to be leery of purchasing at a dollar store are spices. Business Insider notes that if you are buying name brand spices, you are probably paying close to a 97 percent mark-up. And despite how awesome it might be for your wallet to purchase both the frequently and less frequently used spices to satisfy your baking and cooking needs on the cheap, there are a couple of reasons you may want to think twice before stocking your spice racks with dollar store versions.

We know you're probably wondering how spices can be costing you more when they're on such a major discount. Your first instinct may tell you that cheap spices from a dollar store won't give your recipes the same quality taste as those purchased at a regular grocery store, but think again. Consumer Reports conducted a blind taste test and found that cheap spices are just as pleasing to your taste buds as the expensive spices. So, cross that possible explanation for avoiding spices at a dollar store off your list. 

Instead, you may want to laser focus on the actual price. While spices at dollar stores may be cheaper than what you buy at the grocery store, they might not be the best price. Per Clark.com, if you compare the net weight of spices, you will find dollar stores tend to sell smaller amounts for more money. They compared a 2.5 ounce jar of garlic powder sold at the Dollar Tree for $1 to a 5.5 ounce jar of the same ingredient being sold for $1.19 at Aldi. If you were to purchase the garlic powder at Dollar Tree you would be paying almost double per ounce. Dollar stores certainly offer shoppers a lot of bang for their buck, but you still need to do your comparison shopping.