Discovered whilst cleaning out the pantry this morning:
Keep in mind that spices tend to have a few years in them, so this was probably bought in the very early 1990s. And keep in mind that – being at uni for a very long time – I didn’t end up moving out properly from my parents’ house until my early 20s, in 2000. So this unloved, rejected mixed spice jar has come with me through… well, let’s see, about five full house moves, including up to and back from Mildura.
It almost feels like a betrayal to turf it into the bin where it probably belongs.
Moved On 
But is it still good? I’ve got a jar of chilli powder that’s lasted nearly a decade beyond the use-by date and still going strong, one fraction of a teaspoon at a time.
If its mixed spice it probably isn’t.
You should compost the spice and fill the jar with yohimbe powder for your wedding night.
I bought a box of fancy Masterchef-y sea salt last week and was surprised to see a use-by date on it. Salt goes off? Really?
My aunt has spices in her pantry from 1987.
Experience has shown me that herbs and spices somehow remain in one’s collection long after their use by date. I recently had cause to clear out my herbs and spices with similar use by dates to yours, some even older. 🙂
I no longer buy those little bottles of spices. Much cheaper to buy the cellophaned-bagged ones and put them in my own jars. You don’t feel so bad if you have to throw them out when they’re just third of the price (and you get usually get more in the bags).
Ronson, we do that now with most things. There’s very few things you can’t get that way.
Oh, and he wouldn’t throw it out. He has put the expired in 1995 spice back in the cupboard. It’s like a disease.
I can’t help thinking it is worse when one cleans out the freezer and digs roasts out of the permafrost that have use-bys of around 2002. THAT’S embarrassing.
(By the way – rubbing with spices and salt, and steaming, and then glazing and roasting is a good way to restore freezer-damaged meat, unless it has that peculiar old-fridge taste.)
I am going to bet that that mixed spice tastes of dust.