A perfect DIY All-Purpose Seasoning recipe, gluten-free, salt and sugar-free, that will spice up any dish! Plus some trendy hacks for traveling, transporting, storing and organizing all you small pantry cooking and baking essentials!
Young adults live a pretty nomadic life. Traveling back and forth from our childhood homes, college dorms, apartments, cross-country, overseas, we are always moving. Never settled, we basically live out of our suitcases. We can never “unpack” everything because we know we’ll just be packing it all back up in a few months (even weeks!). And I don’t know about you, but packing is not my idea of fun! Especially those smaller, harder to keep track of and organized, items.
MY LATEST VIDEOSAs a food blogger and recipe developer, I tend to have some more interesting “small items” that need to be toted around, packed and kept organized. The small items I’m talking about are all those spices, herbs, extracts, stevia bottles, little bags of chocolate chips, nutritional yeast, active dry yeast, the list goes on and on! We can call them “pantry essentials” and just because I’m moving around from kitchen to kitchen, doesn’t mean I can just leave all these essentials behind.
That’s where getting a little “creative” with Creative Options comes into play! At my local Walmart I picked up the Stow ‘N Go Shoulder Tote and some Mini Sideways Utility boxes to help me out with my storage, organization, and travel “hacks” I had in mind. Using these typically “craft storage” boxes you might think is a little “outside the box”, but that’s the point! Cooking and baking are my crafts and these storage options work just as well for my pantry essentials! Whether you’re a nomadic college student, couch-surfing young adult, or just taking some time for extended travel, I think you’ll find my storage hack pretty nifty!
In the tote, you have a few different storage boxes that you can group your essentials by type (or not!). You can storage your spices and herbs alphabetically in the slots, pack all your sweeteners and extracts together, and keep your miscellaneous goodies in one place. Then just zip it up and take it with your where ever you go! It’s literally your own little “spice cabinet” with shelves on-the-go! I used to pack these little bottles by stuffing them in every little nook and cranny I could find in suitcases, bags, etc. Needless to say, there were some spills, butterscotch smelling pants and paprika dusted socks!
The mini utility boxes are my idea of “traveling meal prep flavor savers”! Say you’re going on a quick weekend trip and will be leaving your current “home base” for just a few days. You don’t need all your pantry essentials, but you need a few, maybe certain spices for a specific meal you know you’ll be making, in certain amounts, or your daily doses of cinnamon and turmeric need to be ready and on hand! Just place the specific spices you need in little plastic baggies and pop them in the small compartments of the box! Easy peasy and takes up barely any additional space and everything you need is right in one place! Grab and go! Food allergy plus, you have a set of safe spices and essentials, no cross-contamination or having to “borrow” tainted items!
I’m also going to share with you one of my favorite all-purpose spice blends I use almost daily! Since I don’t always have that other special seasoning, I have another go-to that uses many of my absolute favorite spices (the ones that always come with me)! It’s a great savory blend that goes well on chicken, fish, salad bowls, dinner bowls, beans, veggies, anything! The Fantastic 5 for when you need to add flavor without the salt, sugar, or any specific cuisine in mind!
DIY All-Purpose Seasoning
- 2 Tsp Turmeric
- 2 Tsp Smoked Paprika
- 1 Tsp Cumin
- 1 Tsp Garlic Powder
- 1 Tsp Dried Oregano
- Mix all spices together and keep in a small plastic bag or spice jar.
You can play around with the ratios and of course double or triple the recipe so you always have some on hand! This is a savory blend I always take with me for seasoning any dish. Simple, easy, and delicious. When it’s all in one it’s so easy to pack and stow away in my storage containers!
So tell me:
+ How do you pack your little cooking and baking essentials while traveling or moving around?
+ Do you have a signature all-purpose spice blend?
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I could use these nifty organizing suggestions to simplify my life quite nicely. That all purpose seasoning could be my go to seasoning for so many dishes.
Thanks Deb!
Wow! These are some great totes and storage containers, you can fill them with whatever you need to pack. Really well thought out items and I love that I don’t have to worry about paprika or turmeric staining anything in my bag!
Thanks for the all purpose spice recipe, I’ve been meaning to try turmeric, and this looks like a great place to start!
I hope you give both a try 🙂
This will be perfect for camping!
Sure!
Great Tips!! 🙂
Thanks!
It’s funny how I thought when I was done University, I would settle down and be done moving… but have moved 3 times since then and have another move on the horizon haha ;p
These little storage devices are so cute!!! I love the tote especially. Adorable. Makes life easier for sure, I need something like this for when I travel. I went to my mom’s last month and she had no spices 🙁
Your DIY all purpose seasoning sounds really good! I am totally wanting to try it as a spice rub for tofu. Yum!
No spices :O How!?
I love your idea using those storage containers and totes. I have always lugged my full size herbs and spices along. I am going to do you idea and get more organized to travel.
Glad it could give you some ideas!
This is a great idea.
Thanks!
I have a small spice travel set but I love your ideas for a more extensive kit. I am always traveling too and this spice mix sounds amazing to bring along.
Haha, yes! I think all foodies have their go-to kits!
Genius! You have definitely thought “outside-the-box” on this one! Glad you solved your packing problem so that your clothes don’t smell like a restaurant anymore! Pinning…
Hahahaha! Thank you Carole!
I love these storage hacks especially! The seasoning sounds like it would be great to just sprinkle on anything to give it some taste! We love adding garlic to just about anything.
Yes, yes! A little garlic is always a must 😉
Oh, I love this all-purpose spice blend! I have no experience with salt-free cooking but I imagine adding other spices are even more important 🙂 So that it tastes like something.
My go-to homemade spice blend is curry powder + paprika powder + salt + dried rosemary 😀 It’s so good for potato wedges, tofu, pretty much anything that needs seasoning 🙂
I never ever ever ever use salt! No ones cares or even knows!
Can’t go wrong with curry spiced things!
Love your cute little spicy travel kit! Great idea!
Thank you!
My kitchen could def use some more organization!
One of the “common situations” of being a recipe developer 😉
This is a fantastic hack. Life made easier with this one. 🙂
Just a bit! Haha!
Great idea for people always on the go; especially since spices can be expensive and nobody wants to buy them numerous times on a college student budget. Great tips!
Exactly! Thank you!
I love this idea to take spices camping!!
That would be a great use!
This is so cool!! I’m glad I saw this post. I love the traveling tips. Most people don’t realize that people with Celiac have to eat specific spices and not just anything will work. I usually end up rebuying my spices when we travel which can be quietly costly. I pinned and shared.
Ah! I’m so glad! It’s crazy how spices can have gluten or other allergens in them! Something people so often over look and end up getting sick!
What a handy little tip!
🙂
This is such a clever idea Rebecca! We were actually planning some travel where I was thinking of bringing some spices and other food-making essentials.
Ah, well then I hope this can be of some use to you!
Ok, I’m loving that spice blend. Really simple (yay) and it sounds great! Just today I winged something kinda like this for on lunch and it was WAY too strong. I’ll try yours next time. 😉 Those storage boxes are a really inventive way to keep your cooking shwag neat, tidy and ready to go!
This one will not let you down, Gin! xo
this is interesting because I’ve never thought to actually make a spice blend. I tend to just start throwing seasonings that taste good to me/us in the pot and go from there. This is interesting though because instead of taking down 5 bottles or so, I can just bring down one with everything in it! Thanks for the idea! 🙂
Right! It makes things a bit easier!
Thank you for the helpful ideas. sure needed them in my life 🙂
Glad they could inspire!
Such a great idea. I wish I thought of this when I was in college, but good idea to use even when going to my dad’s house to cook (since his home is spicelss!)
A spiceless home? :O The insanity!
This would be perfect for camping! You can pack the spices you need without making a mess or having to bring everything along!
Yup! Exactly!
What a smart method to keep everything organized! And I am loving this all-purpose seasoning – it’s got two of my favorites – smoked paprika and turmeric!
Me too! Haha! Smoked pap, turmeric and cinnamon are my all time favorite species <3
Those containers are cute for travel.
And I do like that spice blend.
Thank you Anne!
That’s also a great idea for camping when you want to take some of your favorite pantry essentials for cooking/grilling out! Love it! And the spices you used for the all purpose spice are some of my everyday favorites!
Yes, yes! And I think this all-purpose blend will be perfect for all those camping meals 😉
Yes! I love a good organizational post with hacks in it! Thanks so much for sharing your tricks! I am always looking for new ways to stay organized 🙂
I’m glad they could give a little organization inspiration!
This seasoning blend sounds perfect for a “go to” daily blend.
It sure is!
Your all purpose seasoning sounds good. I like to make my own spice blends.
It’s fun to play around with new combos!
Actually you’re right. There are times when I think ‘man, you don’t even have cheap as curry powder in your kitchen’ – But luckily I was able to keep work and travel separated in the last couple of years.
Haha, we always tend to forget the ones we need 😛
Love your colorful and tasty all purpose seasoning. Forget those too-salty versions sold in stores:)
Haha, I don’t even have salt in my spice cabinet!
Ahhhh, thank youuuuu for this! I’ve been wondering how the hecks to store all my spices! I have a somewhat ghetto version right now involving half ofa Naturebox where I just cram all the spice containers I can in, haha.
That all-purpose seasoning sounds awesome! <3
Hahahaha! Ghetto gets the job done though 😉
On your next big move, you can implement this 😉
SUUUUUPER clever! I love love love kitchen hacks. Making my own spice blends is something I started doing a few years ago and I’ll never go back. Love the way you store all these goodies. Makes life easy!
I am a spice Mixologist 😉
Haha, yes! Thank you!
I love the way you store the seasonings, Rebecca. I need to learn from you the sooner the better because mine are a total mess.
Haha, thank you Igor 😉
I love fun organization and storage hacks like this! We’re not moving anytime soon but sometimes we tote things like spices with us on vacation and this is a great way to pack them. Also, love that seasoning blend – might have to try it on some chicken next time we grill out!
Haha, well thank you!
And yes! That blend is SOOOOO good on grilled chicken!
Cute ideas BUT how in the world did you NOT finish the mini bag of Enjoy Life Foods chocolate chips?? 🙂
Bahahaha! That is my “prop” supply! (You would not want to eat those!)
Really cute tips and organizer. I love spices. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks!
I would’ve loved to have some of those when I was in college!
Haha, well when the little ones are old enough… 😉
Great ideas!! I love kitchen hacks. Great tips for food allergy families too!
We need our safe spices, right?
I have never tried traveling with spices, but now I just might. Very clever hacks! And that spice mix sounds so good!!
Haha! Well I ALWAYS need to bring the FLAVOR with me 😉 And thank you!
What a great idea for storing seasoning! I have way too many to count. I need to do this!
Haha, I have SOOOO many too 😉
Oooooooohhh!!!! I LOVE this!!! And so perfect for camping! I need to find these little storage bins and them into our camping box. Your seasoning blend sounds wonderful, too – can’t wait to make it!
Thank you!!! Haha, everyone is bringing up camping in the comments…now I really want to go camping! Haha!
I love your organization tips for seasonings! This will be so helpful to take if I travel somewhere, especially stay at someones house!
Right? We;ve got to keep out “celiac essentials” safe 😉
I don’t have a go to all purpose seasoning but I do need some serious help organizing my spice cupboard!! I tried when we remodeled but we need to revisit that cupboard and one other.
Hahaha, I feel yea! There is never enough room in a cook’s kitchen!
What a great idea! So organized!
Thank you!
Sadly, I’m nowhere near as organized as you…great suggestions! And the spice blend I’m going to try!
Thank you!
I desperately need to reorganize my kitchen. I will definitely be putting these tricks to good use!
Anytime I do organize the whole kitchen how I want it (as I’m the one always using it at home!) other people come around and mess it up 😛 Haha!
Rebecca, this is sheer brilliance! I LOVE this idea! I have all my spices in the same drawer, but not nearly as neat and organized as this. Can’t wait to implement this system. And your spice mix sounds yummy, too!
Haha, thank you Ricki!! I hope it can help with a little more organization 😉
wow.. I need to spend some time to re store all season ingredients on my pantry… it;s time to cleaning though.. 🙂 and thx for sharing your all purpose season recipe.
Haha, yes, we do need to keep out spices fresh too!
Love the storage hacks!! And the DIY seasoning.
Thank you!
That is absolutely brilliant! I never would have thought of packing spices & seasonings like that! I am definitely going to have to try out that all purpose seasoning recipe. It sounds like it would be delicious on so many things!
The unexpected storage solutions 😉
It is the best! It goes so well in any dish!
Love all those compartmentalised storage boxes. What a fab idea. When we were backpacking around Oz and NZ for a year, I took a few essential spices with me – something like this would have made it a lot easier.
Ah, yea! That would have been helpful!
My spice kit travels all over the world with me – literally! I would love to have the room in my suitcase to have some of these handy little boxes – such a genius idea. I guess I’m going to have to put up with curry-scented clothing for a bit longer! Ha ha!
Haha, we do what we can!
Such a fun idea Rebecca! I’m always up for learning new organization hacks. What you said about toting small amounts of ingredients from kitchen to kitchen–GURL, I feel ya! Love that you figured out an awesome way to keep it all organized. <–Can you tell organization makes me happy? 😉 Pinned! xo
Hahaha! The life of us foodies!
But oooo I LOVE organizing too! Especially the little things like this 😉
Such great ideas! I will definitely try your seasoning mix.
Thank you!
This would work well in our camper where things often spill as we travel.
Yes! Perfect!
That’s such a great idea! I’m lucky that our kitchen has tons of storage, but it still helps if I can keep things organized like this!
Haha, well that’s why this is a “traveling kitchen” hack!
What a super idea! This could be used when camping too. I miss herbs and spices when out in the tent!
Yes! Any travel like that! It is so perfect and keeps everything together and safe!
For all the foodie things (cans and spices, mostly… but also my knife block?) I have a huge plastic bin to travel with. And all my cooking ware and dishes are wrapped in bubble wrap and stashed in storage at school. You’re way more organized than em, though! My spice racks at home look that nice, but my storage/school situation totally doesn’t!
My coveted spice cabinet at home is all alphabetically organized and beautiful! My most prized “location” in the kitchen 😉
My daughter is a Junior in college – so we can relate to the nomadic life of a young adult. I think anything that helps her organize is a good thing. I may make up a jar of this all-purpose seasoning for her to take back for the fall semester!
That will be perfect! Haha! As a college student, I know she’ll love and easy spice to have on hand 😉
Very clever. My kitchen cupboards are a NIGHTMARE at the minute. We’re hopefully moving in the autumn so will deploy some of this wisdom when we move 🙂
Hopefully this will make things a little smoother 😉
Yes I lived out of plastic bins/drawers for many summers. Luckily I had an apartment so I kept my pantry staples there, but this would be really helpful for moves! When I did move in December I think I put them in the same box as my pots and pans haha
My freshman year, I devoted the entire bottom drawer of my dresser to my spices and extracts (and some plates and spoons) 😛 Haha!
What a fabulous idea, every time I open my spice cabinet I trigger an avalanche, so I really need this!
Haha, a little easy organization goes a long way!
Love the idea of a signature spice blend, a great way to add flavour without oil and butter
That’s how we make out cooking iconic 😉
I really need to do this! My spice rack is kind of a mess. Great ideas 🙂
Haha, thanks Aimee! I love organizing my spices 😛