That time I tried to save money by buying bulk spices at the farmer's market

I went to the farmer's market in Portland last month and bought a giant bag of cumin for $8, thinking it was a steal. But after three weeks it lost all its flavor and now I'm stuck with bland chili, so has anyone else had bulk spices go bad on them?

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the_keith1mo ago

Aw man, that's rough. I actually read somewhere that spices lose their punch faster when they're exposed to light and air, which is basically what happens with bulk bins if they've been sitting out for a while. You might be able to revive that cumin a little by toasting it in a dry pan for a minute before you use it. I've had good luck bringing bland spices back that way. Did you seal the bag tight after you opened it, or was it just a twist tie?