Herbs are best fresh, but that’s not always possible. Drying is most folk’s preferred option, having a long history of success in keeping the qualities of the herbs.

Moisture and oxygen contribute the deterioration of dried herbs, so excluding or minimising both is vital to good storage. One simple way I’ve worked out to keep dried herbs fresh is to make a small modification to the ubiquitous Moccona coffee jars.

Inside of the lid is a plastic seal and the lids themselves are hollow. We can use this space to our advantage to hold silica gel, oxygen absorbers or salt in order to keep them away from direct contact with the herbs.

You can easy pop the seal off of the lid with a knife. When it’s off, make a few holes in it, large enough to allow airflow. As many as you want.

Now place several silica gel packs, oxygen absorber or a little salt in the lid and refit it.

Now you can fill the jar with your dried herb or vegetable and the Silica gel will keep moisture away as will a little alt, Oxygen absorbers can help preserve your herbs for a long time if you need to store them for long periods.