I eat expired food

[toocheap?]

I eat food that is well past the expiration date listed on it. I don't even look at the dates. I examine the food and if it looks and smells OK, then I go ahead and eat it. Am I too cheap?

[bjl584]

I pee on expired bananas in the shower that I stole from Costco's cause I don't want to pay for meals or a water bill. Am I too cheap?

[toocheap?]

I pee on expired bananas in the shower that I stole from Costco's cause I don't want to pay for meals or a water bill. Am I too cheap?

Wow, I guess it is acceptable to mock people in these forums without adding anything intelligent? And from a moderator no less. I realize that you do not approve of how I go about things, but I would assume that you were adult enough to make a relevant comment or add something to the thread rather than merely mock. This is how you treat people that you don't agree with?

I have received a number of personal messages from forum members telling me that while they may not agree with me 100%, they appreciate me making them think about where they stand and bringing up topics they have never considered before. I do not agree with you, but have I ever been anything but considerate in my replies?

[jpg7n16]

Wow, I guess it is acceptable to mock people in these forums without adding anything intelligent?

I believe bjl's reply added as much to this thread as your tactics will add to someone's pocket book.

If you have a problem with expiring food, have you ever just considered buying less at the store in the 1st place? Then eat what you have before it expires. It's healthier, more sanitary and saves you money on food costs by not wasting food.


Why is it always, "I'm gross in this way to save 5 cents. Too cheap?"

Your posts honestly read like:
-I save money on gum by scraping it off tables
-I use leaves as toilet paper
-I don't vacuum to save on electricity
-When I find roadkill, I cook it
-I wash and reuse floss
-When I need to use the restroom, I go to WalMart

Why not just have a reasonable idea instead of a gross one?



Moral of the story - the extra cost of being sanitary is worth it.

[toocheap?]

If you have a problem with expiring food, have you ever just considered buying less at the store in the 1st place? Then eat what you have before it expires. It's healthier, more sanitary and saves you money on food costs by not wasting food.

Why is it always, "I'm gross in this way to save 5 cents. Too cheap?"

I have been perfectly honest from the start that the ideas that I'm going to share are not going to be for everyone. You may find some of these things gross, I happen not to. I have taken the time to explain my thought process even if you may not agree with it. I have answered all the questions that I have been asked and while you may not agree with my answers, I have done so in a courteous and respectful way.

The reason that I don't share the basic money-saving ideas like "save more than you spend" or "stockpile food" is because they've already been well covered in this forum. I decided to bring up some topics that would generate discussion that I happen to do that people may not have considered before. Does everybody here really want to talk about only the things that they agree one hundred percent with or about things that have already been discussed time and time again?

It has been well documented that food that is past the expiration date on its packaging can still be edible. I choose to use the look and smell test rather than go by an arbitrary date on the package. The reason that I often do this is because food near the expiration date is often discounted at 50% or more off its regular price.

[jpg7n16]

Does everybody here really want to talk about only the things that they agree one hundred percent with or about things that have already been discussed time and time again?

Oh topics that have been well discussed? Maybe like... the validity of the expiration dates on food?

With 1.2 million results on Google

And articles already on WebMD like: Do Food Expiration Dates Really Matter?

It has been well documented that food that is past the expiration date on its packaging can still be edible. I choose to use the look and smell test rather than go by an arbitrary date on the package.

From: Food Product Dating | USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service

Safety After Date Expires
Except for "use-by" dates, product dates don't always refer to home storage and use after purchase. "Use-by" dates usually refer to best quality and are not safety dates. But even if the date expires during home storage, a product should be safe, wholesome and of good quality if handled properly and kept at 40 °F or below. See the accompanying refrigerator charts for storage times of dated products. If product has a "use-by" date, follow that date. If product has a "sell-by" date or no date, cook or freeze the product by the times on the chart below.

Foods can develop an off odor, flavor or appearance due to spoilage bacteria. If a food has developed such characteristics, you should not use it for quality reasons.

If foods are mishandled, however, foodborne bacteria can grow and cause foodborne illness — before or after the date on the package. For example, if hot dogs are taken to a picnic and left out several hours, they might not be safe if used thereafter, even if the date hasn't expired.

Other examples of potential mishandling are products that have been: defrosted at room temperature more than two hours; cross contaminated; or handled by people who don't practice sanitation. Make sure to follow the handling and preparation instructions on the label to ensure top quality and safety.

Like possibly, someone who urinates in the shower on a daily basis...

http://www.savingadvice.com/forums/frugal-questions-answers/62647-i-pee-shower-save-water.html

The reason that I often do this is because food near the expiration date is often discounted at 50% or more off its regular price

There is a difference between nearing expiration, and past expiration.

Buying food nearing expiration that you plan on using/freezing before expiration is a perfectly good recommendation.

Buying more food than you need, that then passes expiration, forcing you to evaluate the condition of the food, is a different issue. While I agree that the specific date is a bit arbitrary, you could just buy what you need and avoid the whole issue.


Every time I hear people smelling food to see if it's fresh, I think of this:

Jerry Seinfeld - The Supermarket Experience - YouTube

start at 3:43

[KTP]

Expired food has an added benefit that sometimes you can extract botulinium toxin and do really frugal facial injects to remove wrinkles. You could save hundreds of dollars, and if there is no botulism, you can just eat the food.

[riverwed070707]

Your posts honestly read like:

-I wash and reuse floss

Nah that would use too much water. Just wipe it with the hand towel before use

[LuckyRobin]

Considering that in many cases that date you are looking at is a sell by date and not an expiration date, I am not opposed, with certain products, to use them past that date. Meat products, no, (and you can definitely tell by the smell that they've gone off). But milk is good for a week after that magical date. I've used unopened sour cream up to six months past the sell by date because it smelled and looked perfectly good with no problems. I've used yogurt 3 months past the sell by date. I will use any canned good that is not bulging or rusting as long as it still smells and looks good. I think if a person uses common sense on what should be safe and what is likely not, they can judiciously go past certain dates with no harm.

[jpg7n16]

Nah that would use too much water. Just wipe it with the hand towel before use

True. Although... hand towel? No that would cost too much. Just use your hand.

[bjl584]

Ok, since toocheap? wants me to add somnething intelligent and mature to the conversation, here you go:

There used to be a discount grocer in my town that would sell scratch and dent items and items that were close to being expired. I used to shop there sometimes. I would stay away from the items that were close to being expired like dairy and eggs, but I would buy dented canned goods, and I would buy damaged packages of things like cereal and chips. I didn't have an issue with that at all. What I absolutely wouldn't do was buy something that was expired which may have resulted in making me sick. The extra dollar or so I saved wasn't worth the food poisoning that may result, the lost time at work, and the bill from the doctor. Happy OP?

[disneysteve]

I think some dates on food are for safety reasons and others are just to sell more product. I have no problem eating something dry, like pasta, after the supposed "expiration" date. Come on. It's dry pasta that I'm going to boil for 10 minutes. What could be wrong with that?

Now something fresh like milk, cheese, bread, etc. is different. Those things do go bad though generally visibly bad - mold - or at least smell. I often use milk past the date on the bottle as long as it smells okay. I know the milk date is just a guess. I also know the expiration date rules vary by state. I live in NJ and some milk bottles have two Use By dates - one for NJ and one for NY. Obviously, the milk isn't going to go bad faster in NY than in NJ so that tells me that the date is more of a suggestion.

[GREENBACK]

I go strictly by sight, smell, feel, etc.. Common sense tells more about whether food is good or bad. I don't blame them for putting expiration dates on food but there are several factors that affect how long food lasts so I trust my senses on this one and not some arbitrary date.

[disneysteve]

I don't blame them for putting expiration dates on food but there are several factors that affect how long food lasts

This is true. One of the biggest factors is that the date typically refers to an unopened package. Once the package is started, it goes bad quicker and the expiration date becomes essentially worthless. For example, a sealed block of cheese might have a date a few months away but once opened, it may be green and fuzzy in a few weeks.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Toocheap, you are mistaken that this forum has not discussed such nitty-gritty issues as eating food near or even after the date. We have done so several times in the forums, even more in the blogs, and also in threads & articles by the site administrator, and in another author's featured articles. The question is not uniquely yours, but is one that has occurred to many people, so you have company.

If you will use the search function using terms such as "expiration date," "expiry date," "use by date," "freshness date," and "best by date," I think you will probably find at least a dozen & a half relevant threads, articles, and blogs.

That doesn't mean there is no benefit in posting an issue that has been treated before. Many people will have looked at this forum since those other threads were posted and its always nice to have a fresh look at questions that occur to many people.