How to have a kitchen reset

Spices can start to go stale after a few months, so if you’re guilty of leaving yours to languish in the back of the cupboard, it could be the reason your dishes taste a bit flat. Take everything out and throw away anything older than six months old. Arrange your spices according to cuisine, with curry-loving ingredients like turmeric and garam masala next to each other, then Mediterranean smoked paprika, oregano and cayenne, and Middle Eastern ras el hanout, cumin and nigella seeds. If you find you often waste spices, try one of our handy blends, which means you can buy less – try our Coconut and Lime Seasoning, Roast Potato Seasoning or Fajita Seasoning.

Get rid of the random jars that have been gathering dust at the back of the fridge – if you’ve not used it for a few months, the chances are, you’re not going to. Chop up all the veggies you've got and make a quick, colourful stir-fry to use everything up. Then move on to the jars: use half-empty jars of spice pastes, pesto, tapenade or curry pastes by shaking with a little olive oil and tossing over vegetables or chicken before roasting. Try a condiment jar dressing – add equal parts oil, vinegar and lemon or lime juice to an almost-empty jar of pesto, harissa or chipotle paste, shake and use to dress steamed veg, fish or salad leaves.