What are some good spices and herbs to have on hand all the time ?

Well, it depends whether you cook a lot or just every now and then. If you cook to seldom you shouldn't buy to many spices because they lose taste, if you keep them to long and don't use them up.

I cook every day and therefor I have a lot of spices.

I would say a good spice rack should have:

Iodized salt

black and white pepper

parsley flakes

chili powder

sweet paprika powder

ground cayenne pepper

garlic powder

rosemary

oregano

thyme

basil

dill weed

bay leaves

curry powder

nutmeg

cloves

ground ginger

cayenne pepper

cumin

cinnamon

I have far more spices then this but you need to look in what type of food you like to cook. Some people have less then those spices I have listed.

Good luck in your first place! :o)))

Kosher Salt

Black Pepper

Garlic Salt

Garlic Powder

Rosemary

Thyme

Oregano

Cayenne Pepper

Hungarian Paprika

Cinnamon

Lemon Pepper

Bay Leaves

Sage

Dry Mustard

Seasoned Salt

Basil

Parsley

Onion Flakes

Onion Powder

Red Pepper Flakes

Cumin

Chili Powder

That's what I use on a regular basis anyway :)

salt

pepper

garlic powder and fresh whole garlic cloves

cumin

parsley

chili powder

ginger

nutmeg

cinnamon

allspice

paprika

basil

oregano

thyme

a good meat tenderizer (like Indo or spike)

then go to your grocers spice aisle and buy 3 or 4 different spice blends one lemon pepper (you can use on chicken pork and fish) a garlic and herb blend (I like Mrs. Dash) and a chicken and rib rub grill blend and try something new you've never seen I buy at least one new blend each month some I like some I don't others I can't live with out like Morten's season blend and Mrs Dash Garlic and Basil.

I also take a page from Paula Deen and keep a shaker filled with 1/3 salt 1/3 pepper and 1/3 garlic powder

I also am never with out Worcestershire sauce honey soy sauce and those pouches of dry italian dressing mix. I use those to make marinades and to season roasts.

Savoury: Seasoning salt, regular salt, pepper, chili powder, oregano, sage, garlic powder, steak spice.

Sweet: Cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice, nutmeg.

I don't use herbs much, but these would be the absolute basics for spices in my mind.

If they can water a plant, I would go with a grow your own indoor herb garden. I use fresh herbs all the time, I finally planted my own and have fresh herbs for anytime and it saves me about $50.00 a month on things like oregano, cilantro, basil, mint, thyme. Especially basil, my kids eat it straight out of the pot.

My usual stock is this:

Kosher salt

Peppercorns

Garlic salt

Garlic powder

Onion powder

Chili powder

Cumin powder

Dry mustard

Dill weed

Dry oregano

Dry basil

Curry powder

Paprika

Cayenne

Those are my most used. I have the other stuff I never use in a drawer, like the nutmeg and mace.

salt, pepper, and garlic are the basic spices I use

other spices I use regularly, but not daily include: cinnamon, oregano, red pepper, chili powder, lemon pepper, basil

Garlic, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning, Parsley flakes. Is what I use the most, but I do have others.

sea salt, garlic powder, oregano, chili powder, and ground mustard