Do you follow Use by and Sell by Dates, and other food safety issues

boo81

I would go more on the look and smell than actually what the date is, ive been know to use milk a week after the use by date.

It does depend on the item, I wont risk fish and im probably most leanant on dairy which I go purely by taste and smell.

heavenleigh

Hi all,
Having had a conversation with one of my friends tonight, i found out her husband goes through the fridge every night and throws things out that are best before that day. I MEAN EVERYTHING. They have an awful lot of wastage per day never mind week.
I tried telling her that some things are fine past their dates, for example i never check the dates on my mature cheese (have even been known to cut off mouldy bits and eat the rest), i never throw potatoes unless very green.
Things like garlic, veg and fruit just by looking and smelling dont bother me if they are past their use by.
Obviously prawns, fresh fish, eggs, chicken etc are a no no.
As a general rule if it is just one day and an item has been stored properly i will still use it, after all i cant see the items of my fridge gathering together at midnight on said date and deciding they are now contaminated with all sorts of nasties from 12.01 am.
Was wondering what other things people have and are happy to use over a week past their use by dates???
Leigh xx

kazmeister

I'm with you, although I am wondering about the unopend pack of smoked salmon dated 26 June. OH mind you, will eat anything unless its actually bubbling or trying to find its way out of the fridge.

heavenleigh

Hehe, my hubby is pretty much the same but has on the odd occassion blamed my cooking for his sickness after consuming numerous units of alcohol!
With the salmon being so far past it's used by date i personally would throw it out or feed it to my cats (after all they eat manky chicken out of the bin and various dead animals)
Leigh xx

Angelraesunshine

No kaz i would not eat the salmon that far past. Id give to my cat or the turtles to eat

if its gone soggy or smelly then i chuck out. Cheese i cut off any mouldy white bits and re wrap. Yogurts about 2 -3 days after sell by date but kids love yogurts so never get that many over.
Actually i keep my eggs and normally eat past the sell by date sometimes a week or so or buy the one on last date at the supermarket cos i was told eggs are fine until the white goes runny so i put one in the frying pan if it sticks together a bit its fine if it runs and covers the pan i chuck them out, hope that makes sense. And i am funny with eggs since a kid as my cousin as a baby got salmonella and wont eat dippy eggs i brake them or i hard boil them though hubby and kids eat them dippy.

~Chameleon~

I have several bags of flour dated July 2006, you reckon I can still use them?

heavenleigh

~Chameleon~ wrote: »

I have several bags of flour dated July 2006, you reckon I can still use them?

Dont know the 'correct' answer but i used baking soda a year past its use by today with no problems, in the case of flour i would probably give it a go! :rotfl:

Angelraesunshine

Chameleon i would have a look inside them make sure those little black/ brown bugs (forget there name) are not on it if not then i would use it.

Old_Joe

I have several bags of flour dated July 2006, you reckon I can still use them?

Yes!

As for eggs, I can only remember throwing one away because it smelled when cracked and as I'm in the wrong half of my seventies I'm still surviving.:D

heavenleigh

Old_Joe wrote: »

Yes!

As for eggs, I can only remember throwing one away because it smelled when cracked and as I'm in the wrong half of my seventies I'm still surviving.:D

So on average how far past the use by is acceptable?

Do you think use by dates are a ploy by the supermarkets to make us use, throw away ,and therfore buy more?

This reminds me of my grandma washing out my youngest babies bottles in the sink then making up milk, i was horrified until she explained she had raised 6 children with this method and none had gotten sick!
I still continued to sterilise his bottles but it was food for thought!

leigh xx