The longer spices exist, the less flavorful they are. Once you purchase spices, they will lose flavor (whether or not they're ground). You shouldn't keep ground spices for more than three months and whole spices for more than eight to ten.

Is it OK to use out of date spices?

When a spice is said to have gone bad, it simply means that it has lost most of its flavor, potency, and color. ... It's still generally safe to consume dried herbs and spices that are past their prime, although they won't add nearly as much flavor as their fresh counterparts.

How long do spices last after expiration?

Under Shelf-Stable Food Safety, the USDA defines spices as a shelf-stable product and in the case of spices, they never truly expire. What occurs over time is that the flavor and potency of that flavor wanes. Whole spices will stay fresh for about four years, while ground spices run between three and four years.