If you want your meals to be flavorful and delicious, you need to use spices. Here are the five essential cooking spices that every home needs.

Almost all cultures around the world use spices. Spices add flavor and zest to food, transforming bland meals into delicious dinners. If you want to learn how to improve your cooking, you need to understand how to use spices and quality ingredients in your dishes. To help you create delicious meals every day, here are the five essential cooking spices every kitchen needs.

1. Garlic Powder

Fresh garlic usually has the best taste, but sometimes you may not have time to peel, slice, and cook it. At busy times, you can add a pinch of garlic powder to your meals instead of fresh garlic. You can also use garlic salt, which is just garlic powder combined with salt, but you’ll obtain a richer flavor with pure garlic powder.

2. Cinnamon

Who doesn’t love the smell of cinnamon? Cinnamon is used in all types of cuisines, including Southern, Asian and Latin American, as well as in desserts. You can also use cinnamon in drinks such as coffee and hot chocolate to add more flavor.

3. Cumin

Cumin is the third of the five essential cooking spices every kitchen needs. If you love Indian and Latin American dishes, you’ll need cumin in your pantry. You can use cumin seeds, but ground cumin is usually easier and more convenient to use.

4. Nutmeg

Nutmeg is an essential ingredient for many desserts. You can use whole nutmeg or ground nutmeg, but keep in mind that whole nutmeg usually possesses a stronger taste. If you choose to use whole nutmeg, you’ll need to purchase a grater in order to use it with ease. In addition to desserts, you can also use nutmeg in creamy sauces, soups, drinks and more.

5. Cayenne

If you want to add a little heat to your dishes, you’ll need cayenne pepper. People use cayenne pepper for all kinds of dishes, including breakfast meals and desserts. If you’re fond of sweet and spicy things, you can try adding cayenne to a chocolate cake or candy. The cayenne balances out the sweetness of the chocolate, giving you a truly delicious experience.