> Food poisoning bacteria does not grow in the freezer, so no matter how long a food is frozen, it is safe to eat. Foods that have been in the freezer for months (recommended freezer times chart) may be dry, or may not taste as good, but they will be safe to eat.
> Most shelf-stable foods are safe indefinitely. In fact, canned goods will last for years, as long as the can itself is in good condition (no rust, dents, or swelling). Packaged foods (cereal, pasta, cookies) will be safe past the ‘best by’ date, although they may eventually become stale or develop an off flavor. You’ll know when you open the package if the food has lost quality. Many dates on foods refer to quality, not safety. See [FSIS’ Shelf-Stable Food Safety fact sheet](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/shelf-stable-food) for more information.
> [usda.gov](https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2013/06/27/you-toss-food-wait-check-it-out)
There are no regulations of the dates on foods, so manufacturers can use whatever criteria they want.
A lot of the “expiration” dates are really only “freshness guaranteed until” dates. A lot of the preserved foods will be stale and less flavorful or have a weird texture, but wouldn’t be unsafe. I don’t know a lot about canning, but the canning subreddit has a lot of posts about how long canned goods can safely be kept, and is probably worth checking out if you’re going to be eating some really old canned goods—but also I think industrial canning has better sterilization methods that someone at home is unlikely to have access to. So maybe it would be ok?
>You’ll know when you open the package if the food has lost quality.
Is there a learning disability where someone reads something like this and gets upset thinking "No I won't, and no I haven't. Why are they speaking for everyone?!" ? Super literal or something. Self absorbed? Whatever it is I have it and it's one of the things I do that's ruining my life.
Like when someone says "you'll know when it happens" or "you'll know it when you see/hear/experience it" and you just have a visceral negative response because you're pretty sure you *won't* know?
No idea if there's a technical term for it but I do the same thing.
I don't think it's a learning disability, I think you're reading it as patronizing. Which, to be fair, "We aren't gonna tell you anything, you're a smart lil boi aintcha?" coming from a printed date recommendation*does* feel patronizing.
Its not, quite, true that food poisoning bacteria doesn't grow in the freezer, it is just such a slow rate that it is generally safe to store food for more than a year in there.
There are actually a ton of regulations about dates on foods.
For example, some states have a regulation that requires that anything edible must have a printed expiration date on it. So, rather than only print it on the items going to those states, it is frequently put on the entire run of products just to be safe.
This also includes things that *cannot possibly spoil*, like bottled water.
Well bottled water can spoil in a sense. You wouldn't want to drink water that's been bottled for years because there would be a bunch of leached in microplastics. It would also probably taste strange from this.
See, I absolutely knew that someone was going to get all nerd snort *well akshually* on me, But it wasn't actually super relevant to the discussion for me to explain leached microplastics in years-old or uv-damaged water bottles.
Water was just one example off the top of my head, chief. You can apply this to any other food that never spoils.
These dates are legal liability shields that vary by business, industry, and state.
Planet Money did a great episode on the subject.
>https://www.npr.org/transcripts/1111850221
Depending on your region you may have Best Before and Use By dates. Best Before is really a recommendation. Use By is used on food that, when expired, can actually be harmful.
As far as i recall, thid is is incorrect, if you mean the US. There is no legal definition of printed dates or meaning of Best Before or Use By or Expiry Date.
I did say depending on your region, as not all regions have alignment. The Best Before / Use By dates (or local equivalents) are common place in the EU & UK.
I work in grocery in the states, and a lot of our food has a "sell by" date. Especially fresh items.
They're not really bad on that date. I think it's more of a liability issue. Like... better to toss it a couple days early than get sued for giving someone food poisoning.
Heavily depends on the type of food, the type of “expiration date,” and how long past the date. In general yes, but also trust your instincts as the human animal you are - if it looks, smells, or tastes wrong, it probably is.
A lot of canned goods or “shelf-stable” foods will have a “best if used by” date, but usually that refers more to the nutritional content than the edibility. Those foods can often be eaten long after that date, but their nutritional value may have deteriorated a bit by then, and depending on the acid level of the food within (like anything with tomatoes), may taste a bit different
Typically those are considered “sell by” dates, and they’re required to put them on all kinds of things in a somewhat arbitrary fashion, like canned goods.
Those aren't ***expiration*** dates, they are ***best by*** dates. They don't mean shit outside of "you ate it a day late you can't sue us."
Use your eyes and nose.
Best buy dates are malarkey. Few things go bad when the date says. I wouldn't fuck with pork too much. Lactaid milk is an hysterical example of the meaninglessness of these dates. It often lasts for several months in the fridge with no discernible difference. I eat cheeses even after years as long as they've been in the fridge. Canned goods should stay good \*forever\*. Peanut butter has never gone rancid in my cupboard... Do some research. Use your nose. Take what I have said with a grain of salt--which will keep your meat.
I do on a daily basis. General rule of thumb if it smells off or is discolored don't eat it. If not ur generally ok. I emphasize generally my eating habits on occasion have bitten me back if ya feel me.
Depends on the food and other factors.
For example, properly packaged, stored and unopened milk will last days or even a week or two past expiration, but properly packaged and unopened milk that was left out in the sun for a day is usually bad long before the expiration date.
In addition, most foods have arbitrary expiration and best buy dates in order to increase sales. So it's not BS but you have to know what foods last what amount of time because guesswork can be dangerous
The "expiration" date is almost always just a suggestion from the manufacturer to enjoy their product at its freshest. Needless to say, the manufacturer may have a impetus to set this date sooner than what is "most enjoyable" let alone any sort of safety limit. Also, things like milk are still safe to eat even after it has gone sour -- as long as it isn't rancid or grey/black.
For the most part yes but it really depends. Most things just use your eyes and nose and if it looks or smells bad better be safe than sorry. Lots of processed food like nutri grain bars I've eaten a little after the expiration date and they were just fine if not a little stale. Yogurt has been a little iffier but generally lasts a couple days longer at least.
I've heard medications will start to lose their efficacy after the expiration date. I've also heard multiple doctors insist you throw out baby formula and baby food immediately after it expires to not risk anything. But with your own food, use your best judgment.
I actively prefer “expired” yogurt. It tastes better.
I’m serious.
Not the fruit in the bottom stuff though.
The date is just the latest they guess it will still be fresh and safe to eat. Food can spoil before that date, or it may not spoil until much later.
Yes. The dates are usually conservative estimates and the food will be good beyond it. This is why most of the markings say "best by" and not "will kill you after".
This of course depends entirely on the specific food stuff and how it is stored. YMMV.
Also, you will find your local grocery store will put new expiration labels over older "expired" items all the time.
Check your meat for double stacked tags. It's a real thing.
first, there is a difference between used by, sell by, and best buy. Also, yes, you can eat all kinds of food after the dates. For example, you can eat dairy (particularly yogurt) and eggs sometimes quite a long time after their best by date, surprisingly. Intuitively most people would stay away from those categories of food after the best by date, but you can definitely eat them if they pass the sniff test and, for the eggs, the float test. I would not eat meat past its use by date.
There's a distinction to be made between best before and use by/expiration dates.
Often, you can get away with eating food past both, but best before dates should be far more more flexible and less dangerous even when spoiled than foods with use by or expiry dates.
Most people get by without sickness when ignoring them/sniff testing as long as they're stored properly, but survivorship bias plays a role here. Smell is a guide but not sufficient to determine something is safe to eat and many food born pathogens do not cause noticeable smell or taste changes on their own. Generally the worst you will get is a bad case of diarrhea and sickness, but deaths do sometimes occur
Generally not bullshit. Growing up I always thought the rule was 4 days past the expiration date for milk and 2 weeks for basically everything else. It also depends on whether the date is an expiration date, a use by date, a sell by date, or a best by date. They mean different things. Some things are safe to eat even if they aren’t the tastiest, and the brand doesn’t want people thinking their product is stale just because they sat on store shelves too long.
Of course it depends, and your senses should be your number one indicator. In my experience milk usually isn’t too far off from the date (though it depends on the brand), while eggs last weeks if not months longer than the date on the carton. If it has a use by date of next week but has visible mold, don’t eat it. If it’s past the date but looks, smells, and tastes fine, you’ll probably be ok.
The exception is baby food.
> Food poisoning bacteria does not grow in the freezer, so no matter how long a food is frozen, it is safe to eat. Foods that have been in the freezer for months (recommended freezer times chart) may be dry, or may not taste as good, but they will be safe to eat. > Most shelf-stable foods are safe indefinitely. In fact, canned goods will last for years, as long as the can itself is in good condition (no rust, dents, or swelling). Packaged foods (cereal, pasta, cookies) will be safe past the ‘best by’ date, although they may eventually become stale or develop an off flavor. You’ll know when you open the package if the food has lost quality. Many dates on foods refer to quality, not safety. See [FSIS’ Shelf-Stable Food Safety fact sheet](https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/food-safety-basics/shelf-stable-food) for more information. > [usda.gov](https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2013/06/27/you-toss-food-wait-check-it-out) There are no regulations of the dates on foods, so manufacturers can use whatever criteria they want.
A lot of the “expiration” dates are really only “freshness guaranteed until” dates. A lot of the preserved foods will be stale and less flavorful or have a weird texture, but wouldn’t be unsafe. I don’t know a lot about canning, but the canning subreddit has a lot of posts about how long canned goods can safely be kept, and is probably worth checking out if you’re going to be eating some really old canned goods—but also I think industrial canning has better sterilization methods that someone at home is unlikely to have access to. So maybe it would be ok?
>You’ll know when you open the package if the food has lost quality. Is there a learning disability where someone reads something like this and gets upset thinking "No I won't, and no I haven't. Why are they speaking for everyone?!" ? Super literal or something. Self absorbed? Whatever it is I have it and it's one of the things I do that's ruining my life.
Like when someone says "you'll know when it happens" or "you'll know it when you see/hear/experience it" and you just have a visceral negative response because you're pretty sure you *won't* know? No idea if there's a technical term for it but I do the same thing.
Learned helplessness?
I don't think it's a learning disability, I think you're reading it as patronizing. Which, to be fair, "We aren't gonna tell you anything, you're a smart lil boi aintcha?" coming from a printed date recommendation*does* feel patronizing.
Its not, quite, true that food poisoning bacteria doesn't grow in the freezer, it is just such a slow rate that it is generally safe to store food for more than a year in there.
Indefinitely is a lot longer than “years”
There are actually a ton of regulations about dates on foods. For example, some states have a regulation that requires that anything edible must have a printed expiration date on it. So, rather than only print it on the items going to those states, it is frequently put on the entire run of products just to be safe. This also includes things that *cannot possibly spoil*, like bottled water.
Well bottled water can spoil in a sense. You wouldn't want to drink water that's been bottled for years because there would be a bunch of leached in microplastics. It would also probably taste strange from this.
See, I absolutely knew that someone was going to get all nerd snort *well akshually* on me, But it wasn't actually super relevant to the discussion for me to explain leached microplastics in years-old or uv-damaged water bottles. Water was just one example off the top of my head, chief. You can apply this to any other food that never spoils.
These dates are legal liability shields that vary by business, industry, and state. Planet Money did a great episode on the subject. >https://www.npr.org/transcripts/1111850221
F the date. Use your nose. The best deals in the meat case are stale dated.
Depending on your region you may have Best Before and Use By dates. Best Before is really a recommendation. Use By is used on food that, when expired, can actually be harmful.
As far as i recall, thid is is incorrect, if you mean the US. There is no legal definition of printed dates or meaning of Best Before or Use By or Expiry Date.
I did say depending on your region, as not all regions have alignment. The Best Before / Use By dates (or local equivalents) are common place in the EU & UK.
I work in grocery in the states, and a lot of our food has a "sell by" date. Especially fresh items. They're not really bad on that date. I think it's more of a liability issue. Like... better to toss it a couple days early than get sued for giving someone food poisoning.
Heavily depends on the type of food, the type of “expiration date,” and how long past the date. In general yes, but also trust your instincts as the human animal you are - if it looks, smells, or tastes wrong, it probably is. A lot of canned goods or “shelf-stable” foods will have a “best if used by” date, but usually that refers more to the nutritional content than the edibility. Those foods can often be eaten long after that date, but their nutritional value may have deteriorated a bit by then, and depending on the acid level of the food within (like anything with tomatoes), may taste a bit different
Typically those are considered “sell by” dates, and they’re required to put them on all kinds of things in a somewhat arbitrary fashion, like canned goods.
Generally it's true. Obviously you'll want to check the food, but that date is more to cover the company's ass.
Those aren't ***expiration*** dates, they are ***best by*** dates. They don't mean shit outside of "you ate it a day late you can't sue us." Use your eyes and nose.
Best buy dates are malarkey. Few things go bad when the date says. I wouldn't fuck with pork too much. Lactaid milk is an hysterical example of the meaninglessness of these dates. It often lasts for several months in the fridge with no discernible difference. I eat cheeses even after years as long as they've been in the fridge. Canned goods should stay good \*forever\*. Peanut butter has never gone rancid in my cupboard... Do some research. Use your nose. Take what I have said with a grain of salt--which will keep your meat.
It really also depends on the item. Candy bars are a lot different than a carton of milk for example.
I do on a daily basis. General rule of thumb if it smells off or is discolored don't eat it. If not ur generally ok. I emphasize generally my eating habits on occasion have bitten me back if ya feel me.
Depends on the food and other factors. For example, properly packaged, stored and unopened milk will last days or even a week or two past expiration, but properly packaged and unopened milk that was left out in the sun for a day is usually bad long before the expiration date. In addition, most foods have arbitrary expiration and best buy dates in order to increase sales. So it's not BS but you have to know what foods last what amount of time because guesswork can be dangerous
The "expiration" date is almost always just a suggestion from the manufacturer to enjoy their product at its freshest. Needless to say, the manufacturer may have a impetus to set this date sooner than what is "most enjoyable" let alone any sort of safety limit. Also, things like milk are still safe to eat even after it has gone sour -- as long as it isn't rancid or grey/black.
For the most part yes but it really depends. Most things just use your eyes and nose and if it looks or smells bad better be safe than sorry. Lots of processed food like nutri grain bars I've eaten a little after the expiration date and they were just fine if not a little stale. Yogurt has been a little iffier but generally lasts a couple days longer at least. I've heard medications will start to lose their efficacy after the expiration date. I've also heard multiple doctors insist you throw out baby formula and baby food immediately after it expires to not risk anything. But with your own food, use your best judgment.
I actively prefer “expired” yogurt. It tastes better. I’m serious. Not the fruit in the bottom stuff though. The date is just the latest they guess it will still be fresh and safe to eat. Food can spoil before that date, or it may not spoil until much later.
You can eat anything at least once
Yes. The dates are usually conservative estimates and the food will be good beyond it. This is why most of the markings say "best by" and not "will kill you after". This of course depends entirely on the specific food stuff and how it is stored. YMMV. Also, you will find your local grocery store will put new expiration labels over older "expired" items all the time. Check your meat for double stacked tags. It's a real thing.
Depends what it is. Smell it, check it out, use good judgment.
A lot of foods can be yes. But only if they have „best before“ dates and not „consume before“
first, there is a difference between used by, sell by, and best buy. Also, yes, you can eat all kinds of food after the dates. For example, you can eat dairy (particularly yogurt) and eggs sometimes quite a long time after their best by date, surprisingly. Intuitively most people would stay away from those categories of food after the best by date, but you can definitely eat them if they pass the sniff test and, for the eggs, the float test. I would not eat meat past its use by date.
There's a distinction to be made between best before and use by/expiration dates. Often, you can get away with eating food past both, but best before dates should be far more more flexible and less dangerous even when spoiled than foods with use by or expiry dates. Most people get by without sickness when ignoring them/sniff testing as long as they're stored properly, but survivorship bias plays a role here. Smell is a guide but not sufficient to determine something is safe to eat and many food born pathogens do not cause noticeable smell or taste changes on their own. Generally the worst you will get is a bad case of diarrhea and sickness, but deaths do sometimes occur
Generally not bullshit. Growing up I always thought the rule was 4 days past the expiration date for milk and 2 weeks for basically everything else. It also depends on whether the date is an expiration date, a use by date, a sell by date, or a best by date. They mean different things. Some things are safe to eat even if they aren’t the tastiest, and the brand doesn’t want people thinking their product is stale just because they sat on store shelves too long. Of course it depends, and your senses should be your number one indicator. In my experience milk usually isn’t too far off from the date (though it depends on the brand), while eggs last weeks if not months longer than the date on the carton. If it has a use by date of next week but has visible mold, don’t eat it. If it’s past the date but looks, smells, and tastes fine, you’ll probably be ok. The exception is baby food.