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Once I started making my own homemade herb and spice blends from bulk ingredients, I was shocked at how much one little packet of spices in the store cost.
For the price of only a few tablespoons of pre-mixed seasonings in packets, I could buy half a pound of a spice and make my own. Now, I make all of our seasoning blends and my kids love to help.
Homemade spice blends not only save money and help you avoid harmful ingredients in many pre-mixed seasonings and packets, but they are a great project to make with children since they don’t require any chopping, cooking, or heating. Children love helping measure and mix and you can completely revamp your spice cabinet in a day by making your own homemade spice blends and storing them in small glass jars.
What is in Chili Seasoning Mix?
In the stores, it is an over-priced packet of pre-mixed seasoning, often with some anti-caking agents and artificial flavors. Most often, chili seasoning is a mix of 5-8 spices including chili powder, cumin, garlic, oregano, and others.
Chili seasoning is similar to homemade taco seasoning and fajita seasoning, with many of the same ingredients but has more of an emphasis on chili powder. This is great to keep on hand to make quick chili on a busy night and it is also great on omelets and roasted veggies.
What is the difference between chili seasoning mix and chili powder?
Good question!
Essentially, all chili seasoning mixes contain chili powder, along with many other ingredients. Yet, not all chili powders are part of chili seasoning mix. Chili powders can be made from a single pepper or a blend and can be used alone or in spice mixes.
Feeling DIYish?
Here’s a great tutorial on making your own chili powder by dehydrating peppers of some kind. You can use hot peppers for a spicier powder or even bell peppers for a sweeter mild flavor.
What are the spices in chili seasoning?
Chili powder is usually the core ingredient with a mixture of cumin, garlic, onion powder, oregano, and other spices. You can make it with or without salt, though I prefer to make without salt and add salt based on the recipe I’m using it in.
How Many Tablespoons are In a Packet of Chili Seasoning?
If you’ve only ever purchased packets of chili seasoning mix, you are in for a treat when you make your own. Without fillers and additives, you don’t need nearly as much and the flavor is much more vibrant.
While chili packets contain about 5 tablespoons of mix, this often includes flours and other fillers. I find that 2-3 tablespoons of this chili mix is the equivalent of a package of chili seasoning. In most recipes, I start with 1½ to 2 tablespoons per pound of meat or vegetables or other foods I’m using.
How to Make Chili Seasoning Mix:
Chili Seasoning Mix Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup chili powder
- ¼ cup garlic powder
- ¼ cup cumin
- 3 TBSP onion powder
- 2 TBSP oregano
- 2 TBSP paprika
- 1 TBSP thyme (optional)
Instructions
- Combine all ingredients in a glass jar and shake to mix.
Notes
Nutrition
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How long does this keep?
I store this chili powder in an air-tight glass jar and it lasts up to a year, though the best flavor is in the first six months.
Where to Get the Spices
Where I used to have dozens of store bought spices, I now just have a dozen or so small glass jars with pre-mixed seasonings and I save time and money by using them! I buy most of my spices in bulk from Frontier brand organic on Amazon.
Chili Recipes:
This seasoning works great for recipes like:
Do you make your own spice blends?
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I checked the link to the Simply Organic chili powder and it contains silicon dioxide. What is that and is it unhealthy? I’ve had trouble finding a chili powder without it. I know it makes it free flowing but I think I’d rather have it clumpy! Please advise! Thanks for all your wonderful advice!
I’m not sure which one you are talking about. The only Simply Organic one I’ve ever used doesn’t contain silicon dioxide… Is this the one you are talking about? https://www.amazon.com/Simply-Organic-Certified-2-89-Ounce-Container/dp/B00269XE0Q/ref=as_li_ss_tl?th=1&linkCode=ll1&tag=wellnessmama-20&linkId=fae580f3a54ed993a91d3f7e9fe13957&language=en_US
So where do you get the original spices? Knowing they all about high quality organic, isn’t that expensive to have enough on hand to revamp your spice cabinet? Can you provide a list of spice mixes and recipes for a well stocked cabinet? And finally, I have been developing my spice garden. How do you see it’s application? Thank you. You are such a blessing to those of us trying to raise our game.
How much do you use with 2lbs of hamburger?
2-3 Tbsp
How much salt and pepper to add to the chili powder recipe? Just found the recipe today for the chili powder and will try it for dinner.
I checked a chili packet I had on hand when I mixed this seasoning today, and it was approximately 5 Tbsp, so that’s how much I used in mine (per 1 lb. ground beef or turkey and whatever beans and sauce you use); it was PERFECT! Thanks for the recipe, Katie… I will never use the packets with all the extra preservatives and junk again! 🙂
I would also like to know how much to use for a crockpot .
How much of the chili seasoning would you use for 1 crock pot full of chili?
Wow… unbelievable! Definitely going to have to post on that one!
Thanks for the link!
The strangest question I get from extended family members is why I haven’t lost any weight with all the stomach issues I have and the gluten intolerance. It’s very annoying!! I do have signficant weight to lose. I also have thryroid issues too. I finally had a doc tell his med student that my wrists were small and that I am over weight because I am malnourished. But my body type isn’t meant to have this much weight on it. Crazy finding- but I was pretty thin as a child with a distended stomach. I have restricted carbs in the past and the weight came off. I have a hard time with the low carb long term and so I gained it back. How to do this long term? I think I need to for my health and well being.
Jenny, I am having the same problem.. That little thyroid can make or break a person! I hate that it is SO hard to find health when that bugger is off-balance.
Try doing a whole 30 to help reset your body’s natural chemical and hormonal balances.
Good luck Jenny! I struggled with some of those same issues, and if it helps… there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Unfortunately, those are some of the things that take longer to heal, but it will happen. You are right, low-carb will help, especially in the short term. Maybe allow yourself one cheat day a month to eat whatever (except gluten) so that you don’t feel like you are giving it up forever and can stick to it better. Also, meal planning was vital for me to stay on track. Hang in there though… this is the toughest part right now!
I just found that Ancestral Supplements has beef thyroid pills. I am going to try them and see if they help out out. Their liver pills and organs pills have helped immensely already.
The strangest question I have ever received was just last week:
“By choosing not to feed your kids any grains or dairy products, aren’t you afraid of automatically giving them a food allergy?”
I assured her this was our lifestyle choice for our family, my husband was on board and our children will not be deprived of any nutrients. With my husband’s family history of celiacs, the condition is degenerative based on exposure. I’d rather not take the risk. When they are old enough to make their own food choices, they can eat the food and see how it makes them feel. In the meantime, I will work to maintain a positive food culture in our house, involve them in the cooking process and teach them WHY we eat this way.