Out of date cans and packets

bazz

:confused: Hya. Just wondered if its safe to use out of date packet, and cans of foods? O/h says its fine as long as long as none of the cans are dented/bulged/rusted, and the packets are sealed tight. I have quite a few that have been put to the back of the cupboards. Don`t want to throw them away if they would be ok. Thanks

Hegarts

Cans would certainly be OK as long as they aren't dented etc. I'd also probably use the packets - it would depend on what they are and how out of date they are though.

Linda32

Yes I'd say it would depend on what they are, for example I wouldn't use a dented can, in date, never mind out of date. But I'm a wuss on food safety.

Herbs and spices might loose there taste but wouldn't hurt you, I would imagine.

wishingonastar_3

i had a can of beans that was 8 months past sell by, and stunk to high heaven when i opened it. i'd say open, look carefully and smell, if it looks alright it prob is. but be careful, food posioning isn't worth saving a few quid.
never thrown out out of date herbs/spices etc, never done me any harm so far.

thriftmonster

Have to say I am the woman still using some bits that came with us from Cambridge 11 years ago - eg hundreds and thousands etc. Having said that all my family have cast iron stomachs - probably due to all the Winalot that has been eaten as toddlers and sharing bits with the dog as kids.

Uniscots97

If the packets are things like dried sauce mix. It'll be fine, the taste might not be so strong. Remember if something says best before then its ok to use after that date but the quality is reduced. A best before date is a guideline date by manufacturers of a period of certain quality. If something says use by then use it by that date and not after.

Bogof_Babe

Not about food, but I thought I'd mention that I just found a pack of freezer bags with a competition on that closed in Feb 1987! :eek: Luckily they don't appear to be made of biodegradable plastic (it probably hadn't been invented then ).

Some packet ingredients taste a bit stale by a few weeks after their sell-by. I think this was why I never had much luck with my breadmaker - I used those packet mixes and they were always on their last few days when I got around to using them.

I'd risk cans up to probably six months, if they looked okay when opened. After all, corned beef and some fish is sold with about five years "life" stamped on them.

Maisie

My husband has just come back from our garage with 3 packs of beer all dated 30 July 06. (Think he has a quiet one in there!) He just opened one and he said it tasted good.

Smashing

Go by your nose!

bazz

Thanks. We`ve had out of date beer, reduced in a local shop. It was fine. Some of my packs/tins go back 2yrs. I`ts a mix of dried sauces, cans, and jars, and a few sachet stir fry sauces. If I added the prices up of all these I bet it would be a fair bit.

Nix143

:eek:

Just been clearing out my pot cupboard as I've made a load of soup that needs freezing and I seem to have 100 lids but no tupperware/plastic pots to put it in

Anyway, lurking down the side I found a packet of Asda Extra Special Sun Dried Tomato and Chilli Flavour Hand Cooked Crisps that went out of date

March 05!

LOL - reckon I should just bin them as they will be stale or should I chance opening them up and having one? Thing is if they are edible I don't wanna waste them! How bad is that?

:rolleyes: