Winter clothes stashed for the season? Check. Floors mopped and vacuumed? Check. Dust, dust and dust some more? Check, check and check! Spices refreshed? Um... no.

I fancy myself a bit of a Spring-cleaning pro, but it sure was news to me that my spice rack needed some springtime TLC too. It turns out that most ground spices, in fact, have a shelf life of no more than one year! (Egads... I can date a couple of my spice bottles back to the decade when I got them.) These little guys add some serious pep to my recipe steps, so keeping them in tip-top shape is key!

To freshen-up my spice rack, I first began by hunting for expiration dates. Come to find out, many spice brands have expiration dates printed right on their labels. Who knew?! I also discovered that a few of the larger spice companies offer free "freshness checkers" on their websites. Just type in a code from your spice bottle and it will tell you to toss or not to toss! And when in doubt, a friend shared with me her favorite sure-fire fresh test: just rub a bit of the ground spice between your palms and if the scent released isn't strong, it's time to replace the bottle.

With all the fresh produce hitting stores and farmers' markets, now is the time to get fresh with your spices and give 'em a rub. Your recipes will turn out all the tastier for your effort.