Don’t Fear That Expired Food

Just picked up the following article from Twitter.

Interesting to hear that the best before equivalent is not based on when they think it will go off but when it will fall below their expected standards. It’s a US piece but I assume that we follow a similar system when it comes to Best Before dates.

I’ve always gone by the sniff test rather than use by dates. Definitely sticking to that now.

IIRC it’s to do with stock rotation too.

Personally, I know what food should look, smell and taste like, so use by dates dont worry me. though I do know a girl who wont eat stuff on the display until date, never mind the use by. She wastes a TON of food.

Best before is what the manufacturers / packers suggest it would be “best before”. Quality of taste etc.

Use by is “use by”. Although a jar of pickled onions, stated as consume within 5 days of opening is fine forever IMO. It works with the jar of pickled beet root that has been in the back of the cupboard since the dawn of time is anything to go by. It hasn’t killed my mother yet.

If it looks and smells fine then eat it.

Must be time for the spice jar cull. Could easily have been 10 yrs since the last cull

Yep, give it a sniff, scrape off green stuff, ah it will be fine!

Wife is 8 months pregnant so her standards have been lifted of late but just means more for me!

I bought some nice and cheap cheese last week, I assume it was reduced because it was close to its best before date. It’s cheese for gawd’s sake.