Q. I received once a very beautiful silver set of filled salt and pepper shakers; did the people who send them comply with the mitzva of mishloach mannot? does the salt and pepper count as two foods lechatchila?

A. Horav Shlomo Miller’s Shlit’a opinion is that one does not comply the mitzva of shalach monos by gifting salt or pepper since they are not considered food items. Although you do recite a brocho of shehakol on them, however, if you were to bless mezonos on them you would not comply, although after the fact, mezonos is a general brocho that could be recited on all food. (The Rov pointed also to the Mishna on Eiruvin 3: 1, that teaches you cannot do am eiruv with salt).

Rabbi A. Bartfeld as revised by Horav Shlomo Miller Shlit’a