How much past the sell by date do you go?

Sultana

There's a difference between best-before and use-by

A best before date (day/month) just means an item may no longer be in tip-top condition - it doesn't mean you can't or shouldn't eat it. A shop can put something on sale that's past its BB date if it wants to. You find BB dates on fruit & veg, bread, eggs, biscuits etc.

A use by date - on the other hand - should be taken a bit more seriously, especially on meat. It's illegal for a shop to sell something that's past its use-by date. You see use-by dates on highly perishable foods, cooked & raw meat, dairy products, etc.

The 3rd category is Best Before End with just the month/year marked that you find on tins & jars. Stuff like that lasts forever so long as you don't open it.

Init_sister

I treat best before dates as mere guidelines. You can tell by looking at and smelling something as to whether it is consumable or not.
Did not grow up with best-before dates and have no intention of giving in to these now.

except for meat and fish....which I don't eat.

victory

my mum has a huge store cupboard at home, she decided to clear it out , she found a packet of custard dated to expire august 1976!!
Now that is shameful!!
I usually do what the other posters have said by nose, I don't do it so much with yoghurts because I worry about the kids eating them but all else yes, it is only supposed a guide xxx

Prudent

victory wrote:

my mum has a huge store cupboard at home, she decided to clear it out , she found a packet of custard dated to expire august 1976!!
Now that is shameful!!

But did she use it?

hazzie123

I`d of made that 1976 custard up,just out of curiosity(sp?)I`d of let my ex husband be the taste tester,while I filled out the life insurance form!!

moonrakerz

Redbedhead wrote:

I tend to use common sense

Common sense being spoken !

Raksha

moonrakerz wrote:

Common sense being spoken !

But common sense is remarkably uncommon........

Just eaten some pate marked 22/12......... Ops!

We all eat yougurts past their sell by date, just as long as the top isn't 'blown' and they will keep refridgerated for weeks........ Never experienced any ill effects yet...

jillie1974

must admit i do sometimes! use common sense and if it looks and smells ok then use it! then if we are both ill i'll know why!

moonrakerz

Raksha wrote:

But common sense is remarkably uncommon........

Very true !

freda

Meat I always stick in the freezer and eat up asap if its nearing the date.

Fruit and veg etc - the only reason I look at the bb date is so that I can choose the freshest from the selection in the supermarket aisles! Same with cheese, yoghurts etc. Milk is easy to tell when its off.

Dry goods, I pay v. little attention to the bb date at all - you would be able to smell/see if anything was wrong.