Best before... / expiration dates.

[johnny k]

I just threw away yogurts which were expired by 7 days. Should i have eaten them ? I guess this would have been safe, but you know. I know milk can be used as long as it has not turned into a solid stuff.
Meat ? I try not to let it spoil.
Chocolate, candies, chips, those go a long way. Same for canned food.

Eggs, if they are not very fresh, they are best used for baking cakes.

 

[Rocky058]

It's yogurt.

It's already spoiled milk.

Just eat it.

 

[john_cribbin]

Apparently over here they have been looking at removing the dates due to the level of edible produce that ends up in landfill. Getting people to simply use their nose and sniff is the proposed way forward.

 

[Si G X]

trust your senses .... you will smell or taste if something has gone off.

With yogurt it just usually separates a bit, you just need to stir it up a bit.... I think brands just don't want you to open it and see the separation.

'Use before' dates are probably worth paying attention to, although obviously a day or 2 is probably fine because they have to have a bit of leeway.

'Best before' dates are really just that, it might not it's best (looking, tasting or just texture) but it's unlikely to hurt you.

 

[Killing Floor]

You should always give it the smell test. And when possible try to get your friends or family to also do the smell test because it's funny.

 

[telleutelleme]

Its what younger siblings are for. Unless like me you were that person.

 

[Toto'sDad]

There I'd be, I find a quart of ice cream dated 1973 in the freezer. What to do, what to do? Too late, it's gone!

 

[Toto'sDad]

Just remember, NOTHING ever gets too old for fly babies!

 

[Chester P Squier]

My conspiracy theory tells me that expiration dates are Corporate America's way of getting you to throw out stuff and buy new stuff. From Corporate America.

 

[teletail]

When in doubt, throw it out. I’m not risking food poisoning to save a couple bucks.

 

[NoTeleBob]

Most often they are sell-by dates in the USA. There's a suggestion that it's still good for a few days after that. Take chances as you see fit.

When in doubt, throw it out. I’m not risking food poisoning to save a couple bucks.

My thoughts most of the time. It's not worth even a minor digestive issue to save $3.

 

[Telecaster582]

I had a bowl of cereal the other day and it tasted TERRIBLE. Turns out that the milk had expired by one day. Unfortunately I had to throw that away and use my sister's rice milk

 

[tap4154]

There I'd be, I find a quart of ice cream dated 1973 in the freezer. What to do, what to do? Too late, it's gone!

A while back I had a container of things like drumsticks, ice cream sandwiches and ice cream bars that had never been opened. It was in the garage freezer, so I just grabbed one of the ice cream sandwiches and bit into it, assuming it's frozen so it's got to be good, and man it was bad! In fact everything in the box had taken on a completely different texture, almost like styrofoam, and tasted like wet paper. I think it had been in there about three years.

Been shopping at Trader Joe's a lot lately because there's one real close, and it seems like their use-by dates are usually like two days after the day you buy it. I love their potato salad, and most the time it says use by the next day, so I just reach way back and grab another one that might be good for 3 days. Their vanilla ice cream is the best though. Really dense and hard packed, and creamy. It's worlds better than the airy junk you get in regular grocery stores

 

[tap4154]

I had a bowl of cereal the other day and it tasted TERRIBLE. Turns out that the milk had expired by one day. Unfortunately I had to throw that away and use my sister's rice milk

Is your refrigerator keeping things cold? If it's not staying around 37 degrees, your milk's going to spoil really quick. If it tastes bad one day after the expiration date, that's a big sign that your refrigerator isn't working well.

 

[Telecaster582]

Is your refrigerator keeping things cold? If it's not staying around 37 degrees, your milk's going to spoil really quick. If it tastes bad one day after the expiration date, that's a big sign that your refrigerator isn't working well.

It's at 37

 

[tap4154]

It's at 37

Maybe the store you purchased it at doesn't have the best coolers?

 

[StoneH]

I had a bowl of cereal the other day and it tasted TERRIBLE. Turns out that the milk had expired by one day. Unfortunately I had to throw that away and use my sister's rice milk

Years ago, my son turned me on to "Horizon" organic milk. I have never had it go bad.

 

[Telecaster582]

Years ago, my son turned me on to "Horizon" organic milk. I have never had it go bad.

Who knows, it came with the parsonage we live in.

 

[burntfrijoles]

When in doubt throw it out.
I'm not risking diarrhea, nausea over a $2 cup of yogurt. For that matter I'm not risking for $25 or more of anything: beef, chicken...

A night of hugging the toilet and calling for Ralph is hardly worth saving a few bucks.

Don't buy more food than you need. If you can't use by the sell by/use by date then freeze it if possible.

I recently tried some saltines (or Ritz) that were past their "best by" date and they were awful.

 

[StoneH]

Maybe the store you purchased it at doesn't have the best coolers?

It is also possible that milk gets a little too warm somewhere along the way, then reaches a good temperature, but the damage is already done.