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Do things really go out of date really quickly once opened?

13

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  • trailingspouse
    trailingspouse Posts: 4,035 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post
    Bread - only get rid if actually mouldy. If it's just stale, you can still use it for breadcrumbs, toast, in soup, bread pudding, bread sauce... I could go on.
    Milk - Aldi milk is ridiculously long dated. And any milk, kept in the fridge, should keep up to the use by date and beyond. If you think it's going over, use for white sauces, soup. My Mum used to boil milk that was going off and then cool it - it could then be used for another 24 hours or so. But that was old-fashioned doorstep milk - not sure if it would work with the modern stuff.
    Juice - if you're buying a litre of juice, a glass a day will get through it in 4 days. If you're not getting through it that quick, you maybe need to rethink. I prefer to buy the boxes that have a screw lid - at least you can re-seal them, and I certainly keep them longer than 4 days. The ones with the foil tab and the flappy lid don't seem to keep so well. Again, keep in the fridge.
    Meat - trust your nose. If it's gone off, it will be obvious. If you are consistently buying meat that isn't being used, then buy less meat. I will use meat if it's a day or so beyond the use-by date, but always do the sniff test first... If you realise it's going to go off before it's used, then cook it - you can then keep it a further 3 days in the fridge (or you can freeze it).
    Wraps - will keep in an air-tight container for quite a while, or you can freeze them.

    Well done with your money saving ways!! Back in the day, before use by dates etc (and before fridges!!) people (women...) just had to know how long something would keep, how to tell if it had gone off, and how to use up stuff that was past it's best. This stuff is important!
    No longer a spouse, or trailing, but MSE won't allow me to change my username...
  • Shrimply
    Shrimply Posts: 869 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    LillyLisa wrote: »
    I already cook meals (curry, tart, pasta bake, stew, pasta sauce etc.) and freeze them to eat for about 4 different meals which saves me money and time (I try to have at least 4 different options frozen and ready to defrost and heat up at a time so it's not always the same as well).

    Also it's not clear but are you freezing all of it. Most of these meals will keep for a week or so in the fridge, so some can be kept out the freezer to be eaten sooner. If that frees up enough room for half a loaf of bread then half your problem is solved.

    Use the frozen bread to make sandwiches and older bread for toast.

    In my experience not all milk is equal either, and it seems to differ between supermarkets and suppliers and regions. I personally pay a little extra for milk at Tesco as Lidl milk seems to go of far quicker in my fridge. So if it doesn't last as long as it would try a different supermarket.

    When storage is an issue it's really about not buying too much and basing what you cook on what needs used up.

    And use some common sense.
  • phizzimum
    phizzimum Posts: 1,712 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    Linda32 wrote: »
    We freeze ours. A sheet of greaseproof between each wrap (you re-use the greaseproof for the next packet) Take out one when you want one. They take about 2 minutes to defrost.

    That is such a good tip! I gave up freezing wraps because they seemed to stick together. In fact I gave up buying wraps because of this - I dont eat them , my daughters do but they would always leave the last couple to go mouldy
    weaving through the chaos...
  • pipkin71
    pipkin71 Posts: 21,821 Forumite
    Carrot007 wrote: »
    Except the bread. That will go off faster in the fridge. Just ensure it is resealed and stored in a cool place.

    That hasn't been my experience. We keep bread in the fridge and it will last the week :)
    There is something delicious about writing the first words of a story. You never quite know where they'll take you - Beatrix Potter
  • Shrimply
    Shrimply Posts: 869 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    phizzimum wrote: »
    That is such a good tip! I gave up freezing wraps because they seemed to stick together. In fact I gave up buying wraps because of this - I dont eat them , my daughters do but they would always leave the last couple to go mouldy

    Wraps that need used up can always be incorporated into various tex-mex type main meals. Like enchiladas. And then these frozen too.
  • esmy
    esmy Posts: 1,341 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker First Post
    If the wraps dry up a bit, providing there's no sign of mold, sprinkle with water or rub them over with a wet hand and warm in the oven - revives them nicely.
  • queengoth
    queengoth Posts: 135 Forumite
    I found that milk was starting to ‘turn’ before I used it up so I swapped to the longlife uht. It took a couple of try’s to get used to the slightly different taste but now I don’t notice, still stick it in the fridge. I gave up buying bread when I joined slimming world (tiger loaf and butter is my downfall) and buy the weight watchers wraps, these last a week in the bread bin if you make sure the packets folded back over when opened. I found my veg lasted longer when I started taking them out of the bags and putting them in a basket somewhere cool, i’m Convinced they used to sweat lol.
    Shady pines ma, shady pines
  • kerri_gt
    kerri_gt Posts: 11,202 Forumite
    First Post Name Dropper First Anniversary Xmas Saver!
    esmy wrote: »
    If the wraps dry up a bit, providing there's no sign of mold, sprinkle with water or rub them over with a wet hand and warm in the oven - revives them nicely.

    Or 10 secs in the microwave if you have one (no need to sprinkle water on them) - did this with a wrap this lunchtime.
    Feb 2015 NSD Challenge 8/12
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  • jackomdj
    jackomdj Posts: 3,073 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post
    If you have wraps left that are going a bit hard you can chop em up, slow bake them and they make great tortilla chips (even better with a bit of salsa and cheese, then back in the oven for the last few minutes)
  • Charis
    Charis Posts: 1,302 Forumite
    First Anniversary Combo Breaker
    It's more important to keep an eye on your fridge temperature than on the sell by dates. I bought a fridge thermometer when I found my cheese was going mouldy a bit sooner and found that the fridge was too warm. The recommendation is now 0-5 degrees C.

    I'm on my own and find that a four litre container of filtered milk stays fresh in the fridge until it's used up. It is more expensive than ordinary milk but it's worth the extra not to get that 'off' taste at the end.
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