7 Spices You Need In Your Kitchen

Spices are magical. True story. With the right spices, you have the ability to pack a punch of flavor into any dish. While there are literally hundreds of spices you could buy, we college students don't have the space, time, money or patience to figure out which ones are best. So here are the only seven spices you'll really need:

1. Italian Seasoning

Little do you know, you desperately need this blend of marjoram, thyme, basil, rosemary, savory, sage and oregano. Sprinkle some (or lots) on your pizza or pasta and your dishes go from bland to Little Italy Professional Restaurant Kitchen.

2. Cinnamon

Ah, the classic addition to applesauce and oatmeal. No apartment kitchen is complete without cinnamon. And for all you health nuts out there, one teaspoon of cinnamon is reported to lower blood sugar levels. So, sprinkle away, my friends.

3. Salt and Pepper

Duh. Even though it seems like an obvious staple for any apartment's kitchen, salt and pepper can seriously transform food. I recommend investing in a pepper-grinding mill because the taste is more distinct than your average pepper shaker. And it's fun to grind.

4. Garlic Powder

If you've ever minced garlic before, you're probably well aware the smell sticks around for days. Not to mention, who even knows how to cut something that tiny?! Save yourself some time, hand soap and perfume by sprinkling some garlic powder into dishes as a substitute, but be careful: a little truly does go a long way.

5. Onion Powder

Basically, retweet the garlic powder description and also save yourself some tears. No one has time to cut vegetables. Save yourself some more time and add onion powder instead of onions, too.

6. Cumin

Fun fact: cumin seeds are the small dried fruit of a parsley plant. But, even better, cumin adds a Mexican-Indian-Mediterranean kick to any food. Try adding cumin to vegetables, beans or guacamole to bring out some serious flavor.

7. Sriracha

Although not a spice, Sriracha earns an honorable mention because it should be in every apartment kitchen. Though it's not mouth-on-fire-going-to-cry spicy, Sriracha packs some heat and tastes great on almost anything. Seriously, anything. Learn how to make your own Sriracha here.

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