Archive:Quick Questions on food safety / sell by / use by dates

newbie_alert

lol, same here, my OH is convinced we're all going to die one day and i should look up use by dates, how long things should be in the freezer for etc i always say i've not killed you yet have i?
i have loads in my freezer hidden away and forgotten about all i do is smell it and i've never had any complaints from family yet, or any dodgy tummies

pigpen

I 'inherited' some blackberries from my gran about 7 years ago and used them in a pie about.. a year ago... suppose rhubarb should be just as good lol.

I also inherited some fish from my friend about 2 years ago.. WELL WELL passed its date now.. but we aren't dead.. YET!!!

TKM

I'm running out of freezer space and I was wondering how long it would keep in the fridge.
Thanks

sandraroffey

wouldnt chance more than a couple of days myself. would it make more space if you froze just the meat part in portions in freezer bags, and did the mash on the day you will be eating it?? thats how i do mine and it makes much more space.

avinabacca

Hey there - I'd give it two, maybe three days? No more than that, though.

Should be fine doing this (it's what we tend to do when we have leftover pie or curry that's not worth bagging and freezing), but try and eat it up soon.

Skint_Catt

Hi - I made a swede topped one on Thursday - I had the leftovers yesterday. Perfectly fine.

anonymousie

I take no notice at all of sell bt dates on dried/storecupboard staples.

DH tried to throw out some unopened, plastic bagged SR flour as it was a few month out of date! I told him that thereisn't much to go "off" with flour and we'd keep it (the plastic bag was to try to mitigae against bugs- it worked!).

I know that pulses get tough skins over time, just be aware they need longer soak/cooking, but I can't think of anything else that would concern me re dried good really.Just used some 2003 Quinoa in soup (strange stuff, but purees into soup OK, wont buy it again!)

Am I missing anything?

stef240377

Yesterday my OH decided to 'help' me clean out kitchen cupboards. He did this while i were asleep as he has had trouble sleeping with his dad in hospital, anyway when i came down he stood aghast telling me how much 'out of date stuff' we had and it was now in the bin!!!

You can guess how red his ears were after i gave them a bashing and then gently explaining that none of it was off just cos the best before date had past.... soon had him retreiving tins etc out the bin.

I remember a few years ago a documentary was on tv regarding foods in tins etc that had past the BBD and a whole load were opened up live on air to prove those odd cans festering in the back of the cupboard were perfectly safe and the manufacturors were advising when they believed foods were past there best. For me as long as the food looks like it is meeant to and has no nasty smells about it we will still be eating it.The only other thing that i do worry about are damaged cans as they say once a can has been dented either they can become slightly pierced or the weakened strength of the can means the food can perish quicker so i wont use these.

Nicoll

Sometimes people confuse Best Before dates with Use by dates. Best before really just means it's at it's best before that date and I agree with you that tins and dried goods are fine for ages after that.

I'm a bit of a stickler with the use by dates on things like fresh meat though. I'd hate to poison DH :cool:

nesssie1702

I'm with Anonymousie and Stef on this one - frequently use things that are "out of date" from my store cupboard. The only thing that I'd watch out for is anything that's high in fat, as the fat might oxidise over time and it gives the food an off taste.

The "Best Before" date is the manufacturer's guarantee that the product is best eaten before the date on the pack. I frequently feed DH out of date food and I've not killed him yet

As Nicoll says, the Use By is the critical one, especially for fresh meat etc.