i read somewhere that the shelf life of dried herbs and spices, once opened, is about a year. and since i'm a little neuratic about expiration dates, i put a small sticker on the bottoms of the jars and label with the date it was opened. this'll help avoid stale oregano. <img src="http://www.traveltalkonline.com/forums/images/graemlins/Wink.gif" alt="" /> this new brand i'm using, can't remember the name now but found at adams fair acre market, has a place on the label to write in the date so i'll soon retire the stickers..