a spice packet has multiple compartments with instructions printed on a front side , where each compartment has instructions associated with a sequential step to be performed using the contents of the related compartment . the back side of the packet includes a shopping list and culinary information which may be of interest in establishing the historical background of the dish which uses the spice packet . the amounts of the spices in each packet are selected according to the strength of each individual spice which forms the contents of a packet .