Taste testers compare spices at various prices

For many, the holiday season means cooking special recipes and using lots of spices.

The spices available at the grocery store hail from all over the map, and their prices are pretty varied too.

There can be huge differences in price between different brands of the same spice. Even the small jars can cost plenty. In some cases, the price is equivalent to more than $100 per pound.

Consumer Reports ran some tests to see if a lower price meant less flavor.

Consumer Reports' sized up two frequently used spices -- oregano and cinnamon. The prices ranged from a low of 50 cents per ounce to more than $7 for the same quantity.

"We wanted to see if our trained testers could taste any big differences between an expensive spice and a less expensive one," said Amy Keating of Consumer Reports.

Testers tasted dried oregano in various recipes, including tomato sauce and on top of bread with melted mozzarella.

The cinnamon was mixed into applesauce and baked in sugar cookies.

They found that all of the oreganos tasted pretty much the same. All the cinnamons tasted just like cinnamon.

"One thing that can make a difference with some herbs and spices is if they are old," Keating said.

While is can be less expensive to buy spices in bulk, taste can degrade over time. Most cooks should avoid bulk purchases except for spices they plan to use a lot, or if they are cooking for a crowd like chef Annamarie Macciocco.

She counts on spices to create signature dishes for her Italian restaurant.

“A dish could be good, but a spice could make it great," she said

Still, Macciocco said, "I buy the cheapest spice I can."

To keep herbs and spices tasting their best, Consumer Reports recommends: