Ok, we have had this discussion so many times and yet I always feel it needs to be repeated.
There are NO expiration dates!! NO expiration dates!!!! NO expiration dates!!!!
(except baby formula)
Now that being said - there are just some people who are determined the dates on food mean everything. SOMEHOW the food in that can or box or bag - magically knows what the date is - and it magically goes bad!!!!! REALLY?
Those dates are not mandated by the government and manufacturers use them - in my opinion - just to get you to buy more! Yep, they are some sneaky snakes for sure.
Dates mean nothing to me. I know for a fact that things last a long. long time from the dates.
MOST dates are "sell by" or "best if used by" - NOT EXPIRES! Can you tell this just drives me crazy?
Let me show you an example of how stinking misleading this can be.
I got a turkey out of the freezer that I bought LAST fall. (I see people ask on FB all the time - "should I throw it away?") YIKES!!! How much food and money was wasted before they had a brain cell that said ASK!
Any way - let me show you something.
CRAZY!
Yet, there are people who would simply throw this away. It just makes me sick the food waste that we have in this country and others. SO many hungry people - and so many 'igits' in this world that just waste and waste some more.
PLEASE if I get nothing else across to all my readers - I implore you to not throw food away. Don't waste things because you are relying on a date. Please refrain from using the word expires - it DOESN'T!!!!!!
I hope you all have big plans for leftovers from this upcoming holiday food. Use it, remake it, freeze it, can it, donate it, send it home with others - just DON'T waste it.
💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔
ON A SIDE NOTE:
If you are the praying type - please say a prayer for Kim's family over at Out My Window (see & click on my side bar). Her family has just received the most horrific news any family could possibly receive. Two small children were murdered by someone they trusted. So tragic and so evil. My heart goes out to her entire family, especially her dear nephew.
I do not understand these things, except to think God needed innocent, precious angels.
Lift them in prayer or good thoughts to whatever higher power you follow.
They were just little lambs of God - so innocent and trusting and precious.
I stopped by Kim's blog and read this most tragic account. Drugs and all sorts of substance abuse destroy lives. Added the family to my prayer book.
ReplyDeleteSo agree with you concerning sell by dates! There are a few things that are not as good but still edible. The canned fruit seems to go mushy so I'm trying to use some and then replace the stock.
Enjoy your holiday weekend!
Thank you
DeleteThat is why the BEST BY can come into play. Still fine to eat - but just not as great.
Such tragedy
Oh, dear! My family will be praying for yours, Cheryl. I'm so very sorry such a tragic thing has happened!
ReplyDeleteRegarding frozen foods, if your freezer is cold enough, and (as with a frozen turkey) there's no air in the packaging, most food keeps frozen without spoilage or freezer burn for a year. Even cookie dough that's scooped and frozen will keep for 9 months to a year. Canned goods keep for many years, so long as the cans aren't dented or any bulges form. --Elise, sending a little love your way.
I'm sorry... I meant my family praying for **hers**... but yours is also in our prayers regularly.
DeleteII cannot even fathom such a horror happening. They will surely need all the prayers they can get.
DeleteI agree on the food and dates. Actually I have used turkey after 2+ years of being in the freezer before. It was fine.
Thank you - and I can say those prayers have sure helped and worked for my family.
DeleteNope not even baby formula! My oldest was born back in the day when all the companies would send moms home with sample bottles of their formula. My husband worked in a hospital and knew the rep. He gave my husband all his slightly outdated formula. That is what my son had for the first year of his life. He is 38, healthy, and just ran the Boston Marathon last month. So he came out just fine!
ReplyDeleteCool to know - thank you. I always wondered - I have just always read that was really the only thing. When in need - use it up.
DeleteSounds like he did great!
I couldn't agree with you more.
ReplyDeleteHalf the goods in my pantry are out
Of code. I go to surplus outlets a lot and buy things out of code.
I'm using dry milk today that's been
In my pantry for five years,sealed in Mason jars. It's perfectly fine!
I had a ham earlier this year I almost threw away.
I was a year pass the sell buy date.
I looked up information on several web sites that said throw it away.
I found a government web site that
Said it was safe years past the sell by by date! So you keep on educating us.
I read about the murder of those innocent lambs last night,my heart goes out to their family.
How any human being can become such a monster is beyond my comprehension.
I offer my prayers to Miss Kim and her family.
I have many old things in my home as well - and no problem using them. People obviously have more cents than sense at times. I just can't see throwing food away over an arbitrary date!
DeleteMonster is the perfect word. Pure evil. I can't understand how any HUMAN could do that.
Thank you.
Thank you for this post. I'm still laughing about your question, "How much food and money was wasted before they had a brain cell that said, ASK? I've had people try to shame me for using out-of-date food, but so far, I've never food poisoned myself or anyone else.
ReplyDeleteMe either - not once. People are so inclined to throw things away and then complain about not having or being broke. Makes me shake my head!
DeleteThe devastating news from Kim breaks my heart.
ReplyDeleteThis blog post is very timely, Cheryl, as we head into leftover season on Thursday. The dates on the turkey are very eye opening indeed. People need to pay attention and avoid food waste and save their money by using what they have!
My heart just aches for her family.
DeleteI agree - we are starting that season of leftovers - more than usual. I plan to use all I have in many ways. Thankful to have it.
Praying for Kim's family. Especially for her nephew.
ReplyDeleteAMEN - so tragic and horrid.
DeleteOn the expiration date, nuts. But how long do you keep buttermilk and how do you tell if it's bad? I think buttermilk just smells bad any time.
ReplyDeleteLOL - it always smells bad. I don't buy it - I have powdered buttermilk or I use milk and lemon juice in cooking.
DeleteI keep nuts in the freezer for the most part. I have containers of pistachios and peanuts that have super long dates.
I have never had a problem.
Ha ha, I wasn't asking about nuts just commenting on the idea of throwing away food! I keep my walnuts and pecans in the freezer.
Deleteooooohhhhh I get it now!!! I am a little slow today!! LOL
DeleteI keep buttermilk until it gets moldy under the cap which rarely happens. It will keep 3-4 months past the date. I check for mold and then shake it well. That said, buttermilk is a staple around here at this Southern house and we did not have any when we out to grocery shop this morning. All we could find was gallons! I have never seen a gallon of buttermilk in my life! They were selling like hotcakes though so that must be the only way it is available right now. We will be freezing it in quart canning jars when we open it since we cannot get through that amount without wasting it.
DeleteI have never seen it in gallons either. My Daddy loved buttermilk as does my brother - me not so much. I use it for baking - but I use powdered I can add water to or make mine with milk and lemon. I can't remember ever buying buttermilk - eggnog yes, but not buttermilk.
DeleteGood idea on freezing it in manageable containers.
I only throw away canned food if the can is bulging or rusty. Depending on how old it is, the flavor may be a little changed but it is not so noticeable that I can't use it. I've got two pounds of butter that was bought early last year in my freezer that I need to thaw and use before I buy any more. It is in plastic bags to protect it from freezer funk so it should taste fine. I also have a few eight ounce bottles of eggnog that I froze last holiday season. I can't use a whole quart or half gallon at once since I live alone so I save small water bottles to partially fill and freeze to have during the summer when it's unavailable for purchase. When it is thawed and shaken before opening it tastes just a good as when I bought it. When you don't have a family to feed you have to get creative to avoid wasting food.
ReplyDeleteI saw the news about Kim's family yesterday on her blog. I've been praying for her and her nephew but I also can't help but feel overwhelming anger at the person who did this.
Oh for sure I would throw away rusty or bulging cans - I would have no problem with that. I keep watch so have never really had that happen. Love your idea of rebottling the eggnog. Heck, I have lots of butter purchased last season as well in the freezer. Cookie and cooking butter for this year. I will replace with new.
DeleteI agree - I am so angered that anyone could do that to a child. Just not human in my opinion.
How horrible. I cannot even imagine such a thing as Kim's family is going through. Praying for them all.
ReplyDeleteI know. That has to be the ultimate worst thing ever. I truly cannot imagine anything worse.
DeleteSo terribly sad and horrible.
What a awful tragedy! I hope there is justice for this family, though to be honest, I'm not sure it will happen in this lifetime or the next.
ReplyDeleteOur foodbank refused food that is expired - too many people rely on those dates. I ate yoghurt this morning that is a week past that date - it was fine.
It is awful indeed. There will be justice one way or another.
DeleteCrazy how those dates mean so much to others. Many countries do not even use dates - and we didn't here, many years back. I wonder how they think the stuff in the packages got so smart!!! I eat things outdated all the time. I am healthy!
Oh Cheryl, my heart just breaks for Kim's family. My family is going thru some pretty heavy stuff but this is far worse. I pray God holds them in His Loving arms and they can somehow...some way find some comfort there.
ReplyDeleteAbout the foods, common sense sometimes seems to be in short supply. I know people who use those dates and can't be persuaded to ignore them...boggles my mind.
I know - it is just so heart breaking. I cannot even begin to imagine. The old saying - no matter what you go through, there is someone going through worse - is sure appropriate.
DeletePrayers for you and your family as well.
Common sense seems to have flown to coop in recent years!!!! Boggles my mind as well.
That's so heartbreaking. I can't imagine the sorrow and the pain. Thanksgiving will be forever changed for them.
ReplyDeleteI read those same posts Cheryl and I understand where they are coming from. We never had those dates before though.
My heart breaks for them.
DeleteIt just amazes me that some people have gone through life throwing so much money and good food away when so many are hungry. No years ago there were no dates - wonder what they did then? I just find it sad.
The beauty of best before dates is that the stores have to turn over the product before it 'expires' by reducing the price and keeping a better eye on how much stock to carry. I do not want to buy old product unless it is discounted. In the past we did not have a clue about how old things were. Time does affect the quality of food, particularly meats and dairy so I say 'hooray' for BB dates. With dates, we can arrange our pantry to put the older stuff to be used first. That's convenient. Like you I am not concerned about using product that is past it's BB date, depending on the product. Vegetable oil can go rancid. Most pantry food is good for years, I agree. The BB date is a helpful tool in my opinion but it would be foolish to waste food because of it.
ReplyDeleteSure it is useful and I always put the furthest dates to the back as well. I buy a lot of clearance that I get is still a couple years out - guess they are just changing things up. Some foods do change in taste - but a little common sense goes a long way. Back in the day my Mom never had 'oil' we used Crisco or butter!
DeleteI think the biggest advantage is to the stores and manufacturers - they know so many throw things away and will buy new!
My God that is horrible. I feel so sad for him. And those kids. So senseless. Prayers for all. Please God help him through this. Drug addiction is a cancer on this country. Happy Thanksgiving to you.
ReplyDeleteSenseless indeed. Innocent little babies. Just so heart breaking.
DeleteThank you and the same to you!
So much sadness in this world - glad to have you as a voice of sense and empowerment (even if I do hate that word).
ReplyDeletePrayers for the little ones and their family.
I hope that you have a good Thanksgiving with your family.
There is isn't there. We have to try hard to focus on the good and not let the sadness take us over.
DeleteThank you!
My son-in-law was a store manager for 2 different grocery stores, Aldi & HyVee. He told me that the FDA requires best-by dates or expiration dates on all things sold in grocery stores. They are irrelevant to the actual amount of time a product is safe to eat. Storage conditions have a great deal to do with the shelf-life of food. We try to keep our canned goods in our basement in a dark storage room. I bring what I will need from the basement to my kitchen once a week. We have never had any problems. Having food on hand so that I only need to purchase sale items has become very important in our current economic climate. I try to rotate. If ever in question, throw it out. Thanks for your very practical blog. I enjoy your creativity. PJ
ReplyDeleteI keep most of my pantry food in a dark and cool place. It really helps. Rotation is so important. It is wonderful to only purchase sales items and keep stocked. Everything goes in cycles and if we keep track we can know how much to get at the best prices.
DeleteThank you so much for your kind words. Glad to have you here.
I have always thought the date concept was something thought up by lawyers to limit manufacturers' liability. If a person tries to sue them after that date, they've got an out. In a way, I don't blame them, for as PJ points out above, "Storage conditions have a great deal to do with the shelf life of food." That said, I would only discard a damaged can (bulging or rusty) or something that smelled rancid, like cooking oil and peanut butter. Dry foods last the longest. I should be embarrassed to say that I used a can of cocoa for over 15 years...and it was fine. (I'm NOT embarrassed, LOL). And if you store yeast in a jar in the freezer, it will last FOREVER.
ReplyDeleteAs for Kim's blog, I read it occasionally. I live in the Idaho Panhandle, about 165 miles from Missoula where the children were murdered. I hadn't heard about it here, so I went online to read local news reports...and it was horrific. Not just the murders, but the circumstances surrounding them. The mother was crazy and it appears her own mother knew this. She should never have been allowed unsupervised visits. My heart breaks for the whole family, especially the father, who is Kim's nephew.
Bulging or rusty cans would be my only reason to toss other than rancid as well. I can say I don't believe that has ever happened to me. I rotate pretty good. My goodness I have very old cocoa as well - a can lasts me years! I also have much yeast in freezer and some is a few years old.
DeleteGreat minds!
I just hope that women (beast) doesn't get off on pleading mental illness. There is no punishment great enough in my book. So heart breaking.
had no idea food expires as to dates. first time ever read this.
ReplyDeleteFood doesn't really expire - but many people think it does. There is a "best if used by" date on items purchased. That just means best quality - it doesn't mean it goes bad instantly. I wish everyone was oblivious to the dates - not so much food and money would be wasted!!
Delete