Don't always believe what you read - flouting food dating

For all those who are quick to discard packaged foods that are unopened but whose expiry dates have passed: this week I opened a container of carrot sriracha hummus bought last October. Its use-by date was December 16, 2016. It looked, smelled, and tasted fine. I’ve eaten most of it over the corse of three days, without unpleasant bconsequences.

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Food quality don’t behave in a digital manner. They don’t turn bad suddenly by the expiration date. It just represents a date that stores should remove the food from the shelves. Food can go bad before, and after the expiration date.

There are lots of different dates: sell by, best by, not for use after. In addition there are many dates that are driven by liability concerns and not science.

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I thought this was going to be about what to order when on a date. Or what type of restaurant to go on a first time date. :slight_smile:

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And I thought it was about people lying about their dietary preferences on OKCupid.

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Ha!

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Yesterday’s blast from the past surprised even me. I discovered an unopened quart carton of Hood pumpkin eggnog at the back of the refrigerator. I held my breath, pulled out the little plastic, ringed seal, then sniffed. Nothing amiss. Poured out a glug - fine. Expiration date? December 22, 2016. Under the best of circumstances, I takes me many weeks to get through a container of eggnog, so I’ll be freezing the rest in smaller amounts.

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I had no idea you could freeze eggnog! I have a half gallon in my fridge that has been unopened since Christmas. I’m going to follow suit, enjoy a glass and then freeze it too. Love that idea!

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Confusion over whether food is still safe to eat after its “sell by” or “use before” date accounts for about one-fifth of food waste in U.S. homes, the FDA says. The agency is urging the food industry to adopt “best if used by” wording on packaged foods.

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Here I am again. Either I am an outsider, or other Hunions don’t admit to their refrigerators being food mausoleums. :wink: Yesterday I heated up and enjoyed the contents of a sealed plastic container of Panera soup (their supermarket packaging, not restaurant takeout). Its use by date was over six months ago, but I did have it in the lower rear of the fridge, which is the coolest section. It looked and tasted just-bought.

I have some hot sauces and condiments that “expired” a couple of years ago and seem to be doing OK, even though they’ve been stored in the fridge door (and also survived a short move).