Do you label them? With what? Where do you adhere the labels--on the front of the tin? (Seems that'd ruin the look). Or on the side?
Or maybe you just know what's what? I'm not that good in the kitchen!
Overall Rating: votes
-
Posted 1 year ago #
-
i don´t use magnetic tins, but i´d recommend ikea grundtal magnetic containers, because you can see what´s inside, so you don´t have label them.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I use them and just put a label across the front.
Here in Europe I just buy them in IKEA, but when I was in the US (and had a lot more) it was cheaper to buy "jewelers cases" from Lee Valley Tools (which is an awesome and dangerous catalog/website) and superglued flat magnets to the backs.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Mimi--those are the tins I'm asking about--they have a clear plastic see-through lid. But for spices that can look very similar to "non-cooks"--paprika/ground chili pepper and dried parsley/basil/oregano, I would have to label those.
(I just saw the Ikea version yesterday while wandering around the kitchen section for in-drawer knife blocks--impossible to find just the knife block there without the entire divided-up drawer organizer.)
Posted 1 year ago # -
i had the IKEA tins and they are NOT airtight.
if you live in any kind of humidity, your spices will do what mine did and just rot in the tins. and then drip down the fridge door, which is where i was keeping them.
also, spice needs to be kept in dark containers.....spices deteriorate in light.i now keep my spices and herbs in a masala dabba.
best thing invented:
http://www.google.com/images?q=masala+dabba&oe=utf-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=Ox--TODYJMqXcfzEqNgN&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=5&ved=0CD4QsAQwBA&biw=1144&bih=627Posted 1 year ago # -
I dont' use magnetic tins, I have an Ikea magnetic knife rack that I stick regular metal-lidded tins to. We label them because we refill them from the bulk bins, so they all have stickers on the side (the magnet is above them, on the underside of the shelf). I just use the mailing labels you can get in sheets - you can buy those or white sticker labels at the dollar store.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I have a collection of glass spice jars that originally contained store-bought Spice Islands spices. I'd finish off the store-bought, clean the jar and remove the label, relabel with my labelmaker, and fill up the jar with spices bought in bulk at my health food co-op. The jar collection just kinda grew over the years, when I bought spices at the supermarket because I needed something RIGHT NOW and couldn't wait for a trip to the co-op.
The jars live on a two-level lazy susan in a dark cupboard.
There are a few spices that I use in bulk, like zaatar and amchoor, and they live in medium-size snap-lock plastic containers, stacked next to the lazy susan.
The asafoetida is in a plastic bottle in a plastic bag in an air-tight plastic container in an otherwise unused high cupboard. Whew, that stuff smells! I sometimes use it for Indian cooking.
Posted 1 year ago # -
We use magnetic spice tins (these ones: http://www.amazon.com/Kamenstein-5-Canister-Magnetic-Strip-Spice-Rack/dp/B0002T4ZHS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=kitchen&qid=1212556015&sr=1-1 ). We have 2 sets of 5, so only the most frequently used spices are on hand, and the rest are in regular (and labelled) spice containers in a cabinet.
Since we only keep the 10 most used spices in the magnetic tins, it's easy to remember what they are, no labels needed. If in doubt, just open the container and the smell will probably confirm what's inside ;)
Posted 1 year ago # -
I use the ones by SOHO http://www.amazon.com/Lipper-International-20-Piece-Magnetic-Stainless/dp/B000MM7DJM and I put a label on the side.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I do the same thing as zora, re-use jars, label them, and then keep them in the dark...
Posted 1 year ago # -
I do use the magnetic tins. Although not the ones from Ikea. I have them labeled across the clear part with labels from my labelmaker. (I've never had humidity or light ruin them, but maybe I just use mine up too fast to notice!)
Posted 1 year ago # -
If you want to discreetly label the magnetic ones, how about writing on the bottom side? This way, it would look good, you could play the "guess the spice" game ;o) but the name would also be there so you don't mistake basil for oregano :o)
On the Ikea ones not being airtight, I think if that is the case and you still think they are so very pretty, you could at least use them for spices that get used up regularly, but not ones you hardly ever use to prevent them from rotting (ew).
I also mostly use old spice containers and jam glasses and re-label them or draw something funny on them and their lids, and I refill them. What I always wanted to do is to get glasses of the same kind, secure their lids onto the bottom side of a shelf (so they'd hang neatly and you'd have to screw the glass off and on), but currently, they sit on an old Ikea shelf :o)
Posted 1 year ago # -
Are you talking about those small round tins with a window on top? You wouldn't have to label them since you can see through. If you do prefer to label, I suggest you use clear Dymo tapes.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I don't know about all the rest of you, but I accidentally put fennel into my spanakopita this week - it looks just like dill (the dried fennel leaf) and I didn't think to sniff it til after I already dumped it in - smelled the little sprigs I was putting in the compost and realized my mistake.
There are a ton of herbs that look pretty much alike and some of them smell alike to me until I get them into food. I'm surprised everyone else can just eyeball them for cooking.
Posted 1 year ago # -
I also use the Grundtal magnetic containers from IKEA.
I store my button collection in them on my fridge. That way I get to see my buttons everyday, I can shake them and see a different lot of buttons or easily open them up and admire them.
My brother stores snacks of dried fruit and nuts in them - ready to grab and go!
Posted 1 year ago # -
burr-riiilllliant idea for the snacks on the fridge! would work perfectly for me in the mornings grabbing a mix to toss into my bag for the day
Posted 1 year ago # -
I store my spices in a lazy susan and use 8oz (jelly size) glass canning jars for each spice. I label the top of the lid with the name of the spice. You can buy canning jars in lots of different sizes to fit your needs.
Posted 1 year ago # -
Just wondering: Does anyone know? If I had a magnetic tin like that with snacks in it in my bag right next to my wallet, wouldn't it do anything to my debit and credit cards? How strong would a magnet have to be to destroy that information? *scratches head* I know that a even small magnet next to a cassette tape did quite some damage. Ugh, now I feel old, LOL... I remember cassettes and I'm so grown up that the first thing I think is to worry about my credit card, boo hoo ;o)
Posted 1 year ago # -
trillie, I think you should be OK, I doubt the magnet would be strong enough, after all plenty of handbags have magnetic closures.
But yeah, you're right, you're old and sensible :) Sometimes it makes me feel old when I tell my kids that no-one had mobile phones when we were little, or that we didn't have the internet.Posted 1 year ago # -
That is true about the magnetic clasps on handbags, I doubt that those tin magnets are much stronger... thanks! I really like that "snack grab and go" idea and I think I'm going to try that soon.
(And a heartfelt "ugh!" to feeling old when thinking about technology... There was an awkward long silence between 8 around 30-year-olds the other day when a friend's 5-year-old son pointed at a record player and said "Mom, what is this?" ;o) )
Posted 1 year ago #
Reply »
You must log in to post. If you do not already have an account, you can register here.
