Comments on: Should You Eat Food after the Expiration Date?

By: Malcolm

Malcolm — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 06:09:42 +0000

I’ve made some custard with some M%S custard powder that was 11 years past its use-by date. Likewise, I’ve got some Lyles Golden Syrup with a 2001 date. All perfectly OK. It just depends on the kind of food. The polar explorers had to take food that lasted for months. Processed food that was produced before refrigeration was meant to last for years.

By: Ashley

Ashley — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 21:00:54 +0000

Just a note: cheese is basically mold itself, so it’s not getting an infection from a cave to make it green or furry. It occurs naturally. The cave, however, may well speed up the process.

By: Lynn

Lynn — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:59:42 +0000

I was told many years ago that milk stayed fresh for about 5 to 7 days past its expiration date and I’ve used that as my guide ever since. Of course I smell it first before drinking but usually it makes it at least that long.

I’ve eaten eggs as old as two months past their dates and not gotten sick from them. Maybe I shouldn’t have, but I couldn’t stand the idea of throwing them out.

By: foodsleuth

foodsleuth — Sat, 26 Jul 2008 21:40:05 +0000

We just wrote an article about this topic. An interesting stat is that the US wastes 40 of all food produced. Clearly not all of this is due to throwing away things because a label date has past BUT labeling confusion is certainly a culprit in this waste. First, there are many types of food dating labels, MOST do not affect the “safety” of the food. You need to learn what the dates mean and which are critical. Educate yourself to keep yourself so you don’t waste food and your money.

By: whitehall

whitehall — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 01:05:30 +0000

I shop at OUTLET grociers…I save a bundle esp when there are teens in the house. Where can you shop at a regular grocier and get frozen pork roast for $3.00, 20 oz cokes 3/$1.00, 2 lbs of bagged salad for .50, 6lbs of Meow Mix cat food food for $1.49 South Beach frozen meals for .99 just to name a few!

By: Don

Don — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 13:46:11 +0000

My adult daughter and I had this discussion recently. She was shocked to learn that expiration dates stamped on grocery items is a relatively new thing. For thousands of years people had to do their own evaluation of the food they ate. Why should it be any different now?
If dairy and meat products are outdated, I’d be very careful. As for dry goods (sugar, flour, cereal, etc.), there’s not much risk.

By: Topwaystosave

Topwaystosave — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 01:57:51 +0000

I take the date into consideration. One day or two past and it looks and smells okay then why waste. Anything longer than that though I get rid of.

I try and pay attention to the experiations dates too. If something is close to going bad then that’s what we’re eating that day.

I also agree with Baselle. If you keep getting rid of the same expired foods, take that as a clue to buy less and reduce your waste.

By: GrimJack

GrimJack — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 05:20:06 +0000

Just to fan the flames a little, some food poisoning is not from the organism itself but from its waste products and thus won’t be detoxified by cooking. Fortunately, these toxins are rare and are usually anaerobic – commonly caused by bad canning or organics preserved in oil (like garlic in olive oil or home-made mayonnaise).

By: GrimJack

GrimJack — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 04:53:51 +0000

My mother loves moldy cheese – she eats fuzzy cheddar and so on. She is 82 and French; they age their cheese in caves so that it gets infected on purpose.

By: baselle

baselle — Fri, 18 Jul 2008 03:07:58 +0000

I give my food the look and smell test, but I note the due dates of food for another important reason … if you are tossing an item because the due date dates from the time of Ramses … that’s a hint to get a smaller size or not buy it as often.