I'm so irritated at myself! I just went through my pantry, and found packages of food that had "best if used by" dates as far back as 2022. Anything dated prior to November 2024 (except some hot cocoa mix and a couple chocolate pudding mixes) I've set out for the garbage. I didn't weigh it, but wouldn't doubt it was at least 50 lbs. I feel like I went to the store and got a cartful, then threw it all in the dumpster. I don't know why I buy things, and then don't eat them. From now on I'm not going to buy any food that I don't have plans for using in the near future.
Throwing away food
- Thread starter circlew
- Start date
Help Support :
It's BEST if used by, does not mean it's bad. I have tons of stuff that is past it's best by date, no qualms about using it. Best by is a marketing scam to get people to toss perfectly good food and buy more.
I agree Matt and do the same thing as you. I recently saw a segment on the news about this very topic and it also said the same thing as you. The only things I’d be careful to not use after the exp date is canned food that showed any signs of swelling or leaking, especially canned meat or fish. But most dry packed foods are good beyond the exp., within reason. Lat month I threw away a box of Saltines that was unopened with an exp date in 2021, I opened one of sleeves and bit into a cracker and it was really stale, as one would expect 4 years after the use by date.
I try to be really careful to ROTATE the stock in our pantry and use the oldest stuff first. This way hardly anything ever goes to waste.
Eddie
I try to be really careful to ROTATE the stock in our pantry and use the oldest stuff first. This way hardly anything ever goes to waste.
Eddie
I follow the same advice as eddie and matt
bpetersxx
Well-known member
I follow everyone here
Is that why i can get milk and it lasts 4 weeks
yes I'm serious it does last 4 weeks
and i buy it almost out of date
Is that why i can get milk and it lasts 4 weeks
yes I'm serious it does last 4 weeks
and i buy it almost out of date
My milk lasts way beyond the best.Buy date or exploration date
My milk keeps well past it's date but I credit my fridge for that. My WP has a cold air vent that feeds chilled air into the door above the bin I keep my milk in.
I've been eating "expired".....
.....foods for years and it hasn't harmed me yet.
"Best by" dates just mean that the texture or taste MAY not be quite as good as new but it's still edible.
We have a food bank at my church and they will not allow "expired" foods to be donated "for the health and dignity of the clients".
Balderdash!!
.....foods for years and it hasn't harmed me yet.
"Best by" dates just mean that the texture or taste MAY not be quite as good as new but it's still edible.
We have a food bank at my church and they will not allow "expired" foods to be donated "for the health and dignity of the clients".
Balderdash!!
Re:#7
“We have a food bank at my church and they will not allow "expired" foods to be donated "for the health and dignity of the clients".
BeforeI retired from the Human Services Dept we also had a food bank for our clients that may have run out of Food Stamps at the end of the month or their applications for assistance were still pending approval and we also couldn’t bring in food that was past the expiration date. It was explained to us that it was a liability issue. If someone were to have become ill due consumption of an expired food product obtained from our food bank they could possibly sue.
I agree with you Bill, it’s balderdash! If you’re hungry enough you’ll eat whatever you can get.
Also, whenever I shop for groceries I always look for items with expiration dates that are the furthest in the future. Then as I use these items I use the ones that have the soonest expiration dates first. I always have at least one or two back items in the pantry of all regularly used staples.
Eddie
“We have a food bank at my church and they will not allow "expired" foods to be donated "for the health and dignity of the clients".
BeforeI retired from the Human Services Dept we also had a food bank for our clients that may have run out of Food Stamps at the end of the month or their applications for assistance were still pending approval and we also couldn’t bring in food that was past the expiration date. It was explained to us that it was a liability issue. If someone were to have become ill due consumption of an expired food product obtained from our food bank they could possibly sue.
I agree with you Bill, it’s balderdash! If you’re hungry enough you’ll eat whatever you can get.
Also, whenever I shop for groceries I always look for items with expiration dates that are the furthest in the future. Then as I use these items I use the ones that have the soonest expiration dates first. I always have at least one or two back items in the pantry of all regularly used staples.
Eddie
I threw away two boxes of Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies, which aren't cheap. One hadn't been opened yet, but the BB date was June 2024. I ate one, and it was obviously stale. The same was true of potato chips dated last September. I did keep a box of Meijer Maple Leaf cookies dated July 2024 that weren't great, but OK. Salad dressing gets rancid even when unopened when more than a few months past the BB date. If food doesn't taste reasonably fresh, I don't get much enjoyment out of eating it
I buy lactaid milk. It's ultra pasteurized so its expiration date is way out. I don't drink milk and got tired of it going bad before I could use it up. When I was single I kept powdered milk in the house for cooking.
One of the big food banks in Detroit uses the rule of thumb for canned goods that allows them to be given out if they are less than 36 months beyond the expiration date. I suspect that is pretty uniform at that level of operation (though smaller pantries may have other rules.
I suppose that there could be a "dignity" argument made (and there are CERTAINLY different pressures on the smaller pantries than the bigger banks) but have no fear about consuming (or donating) expired canned goods. Fried/baked goods do get unpleasant fairly soon after their expiry (do NOT use expired taco shells----they are not packaged well enough to stay good much past their BB date. Rancid-city!)
I suppose that there could be a "dignity" argument made (and there are CERTAINLY different pressures on the smaller pantries than the bigger banks) but have no fear about consuming (or donating) expired canned goods. Fried/baked goods do get unpleasant fairly soon after their expiry (do NOT use expired taco shells----they are not packaged well enough to stay good much past their BB date. Rancid-city!)
Salad Dressing
I'm surprised to read salad dressing ever goes bad, especially rancid. I just opened a bottle of Red Wine Vinaigrette that expired September 2023. We are very good about rotating food, hardly ever have anything expire, some how we missed this one. It tastes fine, no different than it ever has.
Chips are one exception, they have short dates to begin with, and depending on the type do lose their crunch within a month of expiration date, especially saltines or potato chips. I've found Triscuits will last months past expiration, cereal too. You just need to eat them soon after opening.
I'm surprised to read salad dressing ever goes bad, especially rancid. I just opened a bottle of Red Wine Vinaigrette that expired September 2023. We are very good about rotating food, hardly ever have anything expire, some how we missed this one. It tastes fine, no different than it ever has.
Chips are one exception, they have short dates to begin with, and depending on the type do lose their crunch within a month of expiration date, especially saltines or potato chips. I've found Triscuits will last months past expiration, cereal too. You just need to eat them soon after opening.
In salad dressings, the vegetable oil will become rancid after so long. I had some a while back that smelled more like oil base house paint than dressing.
I too
Have had to throw out inordinate quantities of food that expired and wasn’t fresh anymore or that spoiled. Very frustrating to throw away money. I have realized it’s a product of two things. First, I need a can of tomatoes to make something but they’re on sale buy 3 for whatever price. I’ve learned: NO. Don’t stock up on things I have no definite plan to use in the next week or two. Second, when Aldi has a seasonal item I really love I’d take several and it would prove to be too many — or with COVID shortages I would take a few more when available.
I have started buying only fresh vegetables. Otherwise I’m shopping my shelves and freezer first. Resolved to use up all the food that accumulated during COVID.
Have had to throw out inordinate quantities of food that expired and wasn’t fresh anymore or that spoiled. Very frustrating to throw away money. I have realized it’s a product of two things. First, I need a can of tomatoes to make something but they’re on sale buy 3 for whatever price. I’ve learned: NO. Don’t stock up on things I have no definite plan to use in the next week or two. Second, when Aldi has a seasonal item I really love I’d take several and it would prove to be too many — or with COVID shortages I would take a few more when available.
I have started buying only fresh vegetables. Otherwise I’m shopping my shelves and freezer first. Resolved to use up all the food that accumulated during COVID.
Well I recently had my Throwawayathon...
Old condiments and dressings, even chips, althewhile the prices rising of, making the most valuable lessons, the most expensive!
My daughter seemingly coxes us to buy stuff, then she is now attending a boarding school, leaving us stuck with a lot of expiring or expired goods, or just plainly in the wake of over $100+ food bills are not going to ever want or ever use...
We have more garbage to throw out when she's here than away, so at least I'm never wasting garbage bags...
As I never like to throw those out when they're not full, or put out more than one or one put in another one...
Although the second is seldom full, but it beats the too full and too much garbage that's just too bulky when she's here...
Mainly from her sometimes getting carryouts when we buy her food, of which she and a friend coming over sometime make and share with us parents...
-- Dave
[this post was last edited: 4/3/2025-11:37]
Old condiments and dressings, even chips, althewhile the prices rising of, making the most valuable lessons, the most expensive!
My daughter seemingly coxes us to buy stuff, then she is now attending a boarding school, leaving us stuck with a lot of expiring or expired goods, or just plainly in the wake of over $100+ food bills are not going to ever want or ever use...
We have more garbage to throw out when she's here than away, so at least I'm never wasting garbage bags...
As I never like to throw those out when they're not full, or put out more than one or one put in another one...
Although the second is seldom full, but it beats the too full and too much garbage that's just too bulky when she's here...
Mainly from her sometimes getting carryouts when we buy her food, of which she and a friend coming over sometime make and share with us parents...
-- Dave
[this post was last edited: 4/3/2025-11:37]
