Walk into almost any grocery store and you’ll see two very different ways to season your food: individual spices and seasoning blends.
Individual spices — garlic powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, onion powder, cayenne, black pepper, and so on.
And pre-made seasoning blends that combine several ingredients into one shaker.
So which option is actually better?
The answer is:
It depends on how you cook.
There are situations where individual spices make more sense, and others where a well-made seasoning blend can save time, reduce guesswork, and make cooking a lot easier.
Let’s break down the pros and cons of both.
What Are the Advantages of Buying Individual Spices?
Individual spices give you the most control.
If you love experimenting in the kitchen, adjusting recipes, or creating your own flavor combinations from scratch, having a well-stocked spice cabinet can be incredibly useful.
You Control Every Ingredient
Want more garlic?
Add more garlic.
Want less cumin?
Use less.
Want something completely salt-free?
Leave the salt out.
Individual spices let you build flavor exactly the way you want it.
They're Great for Recipe-Specific Cooking
Some recipes call for very specific ratios of herbs and spices.
If you're making a curry, homemade chili, barbecue rub, or family recipe, using individual spices may give you more flexibility than relying on a premixed blend.
They Can Be More Versatile
A container of garlic powder can be used in practically anything.
The same goes for black pepper, paprika, onion powder, or cinnamon.
If you cook a wide variety of foods, individual spices can become the building blocks for hundreds of different recipes.
What Are the Downsides of Individual Spices?
The biggest downside?
You usually need a lot of them.
A single recipe might require:
- Garlic powder
- Onion powder
- Paprika
- Cumin
- Black pepper
- Oregano
- Cayenne
- Salt
Suddenly, seasoning one pound of chicken means pulling eight containers out of the cabinet.
And if you don't cook often, some of those bottles may sit around for a long time before you use them again.
What Are the Advantages of Seasoning Blends?
Seasoning blends are all about convenience and consistency.
Instead of measuring several ingredients separately, the flavor profile is already built for you.
They're Faster
This is probably the biggest advantage.
Open shaker.
Season food.
Cook.
Done.
For busy weeknights, meal prep, or anyone who simply doesn't enjoy measuring spices, that convenience is hard to beat.
You Get Consistent Flavor
When a blend is formulated properly, the ratios are already balanced.
That means the chicken you make this week can taste like the chicken you loved last week.
You don't have to remember whether you used one teaspoon of paprika or two.
They Can Simplify Your Spice Cabinet
Instead of keeping ten individual seasonings on hand for taco night, you might use one taco blend.
Instead of mixing a barbecue rub every time you grill, you can grab one bottle.
That can be especially helpful if cabinet space is limited — or if your spice shelf currently looks like it might collapse at any moment. 😂
Are Seasoning Blends More Expensive?
Sometimes.
A premium seasoning blend can cost more per bottle than one individual spice.
But that's not always the best comparison.
A blend may replace several ingredients you would otherwise need to purchase separately.
The better question is:
How much value are you actually getting from that bottle?
If one seasoning works on chicken, vegetables, potatoes, eggs, rice bowls, and meal prep, you may end up using it far more often than several individual spices sitting in the back of the cabinet.
We break down what actually drives the price in Are Expensive Seasonings Actually Worth It?
What Should You Look for in a Seasoning Blend?
Not all seasoning blends are created equally.
Before buying one, flip the bottle over and read the ingredient list.
Look for:
- Ingredients you recognize
- A flavor profile that fits the foods you actually cook
- Whether salt or sugar appears high on the ingredient list
- Ingredients you personally prefer to avoid
- Whether you're paying for actual herbs and spices or mostly inexpensive bulk ingredients
A seasoning should make your life easier.
But it still needs to taste good and contain ingredients you're comfortable using.
Not sure what some of those label ingredients are? Here's our guide to fillers in seasoning and what to look for.
When Are Individual Spices the Better Choice?
Individual spices may make more sense if:
- You love cooking from scratch
- You enjoy experimenting with flavor
- You frequently follow recipes with specific spice ratios
- You want complete control over salt, heat, and sweetness
- You cook many different cuisines
- You already have a well-stocked spice cabinet
If that sounds like you, there is absolutely nothing wrong with sticking primarily to individual spices.
When Are Seasoning Blends the Better Choice?
Seasoning blends may be better if:
- You want dinner to be faster
- You meal prep regularly
- You don't enjoy measuring several spices
- You want consistent flavor every time
- You tend to cook simple proteins and vegetables
- You're trying to make healthy meals taste better without making cooking complicated
- You want fewer bottles cluttering your cabinet
This is exactly where a good blend earns its place.
Do You Have to Choose One or the Other?
Not at all.
Honestly, most kitchens benefit from having both.
You might keep garlic powder, onion powder, black pepper, cinnamon, and a few staple herbs on hand.
Then use seasoning blends when you want something faster or more specific.
For example:
Use individual garlic and herbs when you're experimenting with a recipe.
Use Taco Time when you want taco night without measuring six different spices.
Use Daily Drip when you just need a quick savory base.
Use Honey Chipotle Charm when you want sweet, smoky flavor without building that profile from scratch.
That combination gives you flexibility without making every meal a project.
Why We Make Seasoning Blends at Perry Spices
We didn't create Perry Spices because we think individual spices are pointless.
Far from it.
We created Perry Spices because sometimes people want great food without spending fifteen minutes measuring seasonings before they even start cooking.
Our goal is simple:
Make bold flavor easier.
We use high-quality, recognizable ingredients and formulate our blends to work across a variety of foods so you can get more use out of every shaker.
Whether you're meal prepping, grilling, making tacos, cooking chicken, or just trying to make vegetables more interesting, we want the seasoning step to be the easy part.
The Bottom Line
So, should you buy individual spices or seasoning blends?
Both can be useful.
Individual spices give you maximum control and flexibility.
Seasoning blends give you speed, convenience, and consistency.
The right choice depends on how much you enjoy cooking, how much time you have, and how much control you want over every ingredient.
If you love creating flavor from scratch, keep building that spice collection.
If you'd rather shake, cook, and eat?
A good seasoning blend might make a lot more sense.
And if you're like most people?
There's probably room in your kitchen for both.
Want to make seasoning easier?
Explore the Perry Spices lineup and find a flavor that fits the way you actually cook.
Shop Perry Spices → PerrySpices.com