Use by date on food

Mirtos

My boyfriend adheres freakishly strictly to use by dates. It drives me insane!!! I don't even read them - just use my nose and eyes to judge. I have NEVER been ill with food poisoning or similar. I say ignore them at all times in favour of common sense!

dougk_2

Some things really never "go offf" things like herbs last years although obviously losing some of their tatse and smell.
Similarly with milk its very easy to tell wehn its gone off.
Its all common sense really.

SusanCarter

I think you need to just use your common sense. The shops/manufacturers have to put a date which will make them x% certain it will be fine up to that date. Some things might not last longer than the date but other things may last for ages. My mum always says, "It's not going to suddenly go off at midnight." and "What do you think people did before they put dates on?" I've had unopened cheese go off before the date and yet I have also eaten chees a month out of date. I've eaten yoghurts a week out of date and often end up eating eggs a month out of date.

Just smell it. If it's gone off then you will know! :eek:

jellycat40

My husband works in Environmental Health and he is the worst offender for eating out of date stuff.

As he says if it looks ok and smells ok then it will be ok.

Louise

twink

i brought my family up when there were no use by dates, you just had to use common sense and it did us no harm

COOLTRIKERCHICK

thanks churchmouse... thats what i meant......

and just to clarify what kazonline.. said.. i worked in a choclate/sweet factory... for 1 day only......what they were doing.. was buying marshmallow shapes from holland..... then repackaging them.... and extending the use by date by 18 months, and these were being sold to harrods.... plus there was other dodgy things going on.... so i called the enviroment and they checked them out, but as they said there for the changing of the dates.. there was nothing they could do, as its just saying its best before that date... after that the quality goes down...

Mrs_Arkwright

Well I've just had it for my tea, tasted fine and I haven't died yet

ScoobieGirl

A colleague of mine once used a tub of Elmlea cream 6 months (yes months) out of date. I'm not suggesting you try it, but she didn't suffer any side effects.

cattie

jellycat40 wrote:

My husband works in Environmental Health and he is the worst offender for eating out of date stuff.

As he says if it looks ok and smells ok then it will be ok.

Louise

I agree with this & am living proof that worrying about sell by dates is pointless. Countless Years of ignoring sell by dates & using my eyes & nose instead & I'm still going strong. :rotfl:

skintchick

I have a cast iron stomach and can even eat obviously dodgy chicken and be fine! So I use my nose and decide what i think about it's freshness.

Some stuff goes off BEFORE its date after all so I don;t take them very seriusly.