answer:I buy Whole Foods spices. Some of them, like whole nutmeg or vanilla beans seem noticeably better. Others, like oregano—well, it’s hard to tell for me, because it has been so long since I checked out McCormick’s. There was some McCormick’s at a vacation rental this summer and it seemed pretty old and flavorless, but that could have been because it was old and, well, flavorless. But for me, flavor is most important, and the extra cost of Whole Foods is worth it, if even for a tiny improvement. Food is my highest priority (and it shows in my stomach). I feel this is the only life I have and food is an everyday part of it, so it is worth doing everything I can to make that high quality. I think it’s kind of silly to stint on food. It’s so inexpensive compared to movies or eating out or most other things we do for fun. So I’d go for quality, and shop at specialty stores, if there are any, rather than see a movie or whatnot. If food is a priority, then it’s worth spending more to get quality ingredients. If it’s just fuel for you, or you can’t really taste the difference, then I wouldn’t spend for the good stuff.