To eat, or not to eat...

art_for_arts_sake

Have just gone in the fridge and found two out-of-date packs of back bacon. They're both in the airtight, vacuum type of packaging, the first says the 4th of September, the other says the 18th of September. I've just cut open the first, all smells good, do I chance it or bin it? I know what my answer would be for the second, but where do you draw the line on out-of-date food?

tessie_bear

tbh id use both if they smelt ok but i would use them asap maybe make a quiche or cheese and pot pie or a large bacon sarnie for lunch hth

Tiglath

I always err on the side of caution with pork and chicken, personally - not worth risking making myself ill with it. I'll happily cut mould off cheese and soupify elderly veg though. You might get away with the 18th pack if you're feeling adventurous, but I'd definitely bin the 4th one.

quintwins

i'd eat the 18th but wouldn't risk the 4th tbh

grandma247

Bacon has so much salt in it it is probably fine. Open it and smell it. Since you are not eating it raw it should be fine especially since it has been in the fridge.

trolleyrun

If it smells and looks ok, then go for it if you want to. Just make sure it's cooked properly

bupster

I eat bacon more out of date than that all the time. It's been cured so it should be fine. Do the smell test

maman

I'd plan to eat both but stop ASAP if it smelled or tasted funny!! Personally I would only have it 'plain' rather than put it into a quiche or something. I'd hate to waste a load of other ingredients if it wasn't quite right.

Bacon's been cured so it should be fine.

For the future, I always put our bacon in the freezer unless I plan to use it in the next day or two.

Pee

Def do the smell test. I had some at the weekend that I think was dated the 8th. I was pretty concerned about it, but it looked fine, so I opened it and smelled it then cooked it and tasted in, completely fine.

That said we are all different, I get very funny about prawns even the date that they say they are ok to. (Because of a bad experience where they obviously weren't stored at fridge temperature by the supermarket and they looked and smelt far too bad for me to try to eat.)

Sallygirl

I'd do the smell test as suggested. The curing process does help it keep longer but I'd probably be happier eating it as past of a dish rather than bacon on its own. We're currently eating our way through an out-of-date pack of bacon too.

Popperwell

trolleyrun wrote: »

If it smells and looks ok, then go for it if you want to. Just make sure it's cooked properly

bupster wrote: »

I eat bacon more out of date than that all the time. It's been cured so it should be fine. Do the smell test

maman wrote: »

I'd plan to eat both but stop ASAP if it smelled or tasted funny!! Personally I would only have it 'plain' rather than put it into a quiche or something. I'd hate to waste a load of other ingredients if it wasn't quite right.

Bacon's been cured so it should be fine.

For the future, I always put our bacon in the freezer unless I plan to use it in the next day or two.

All of the above, being alone, it can be difficult to guage what I'll use and feel like eating and on a limited budget I begrudge throwing food away. It comes down to commonsense and avoiding being ill.

They didn't have dates on many items years ago and you used the simple tests like smell, taste and sight.