Is it safe to eat food past it's use by?

Clive_Woody

Use by and Best before dates are conservative estimates.

It took a while to convince my wife that food did not suddenly become toxic just after midnight when it when past this date.

Shops go with a date that they are very very confident will be fine, generally speaking if the food has been stored correctly in it's original packaging you can use it safely for a few more days.

In ye good old days a lot of food didn't have these dates on them (i.e. you bought your food from a butcher/baker/fishshop/fruit-stall) and you had to make your own call on whether it was okay to eat.

olibrofiz

I'll eat yoghurts past their sell by date if they smell, look and taste ok. Have picked mould off bread and cheese too

Am a bit funny about fish and chicken, but will eat that if it's a day out - afterall, as I said to my teen, it's not as if it goes 'ooo, 12 midnight, time to go bad!'

Cooked rice tho, binned once we've had our fill. Would not eat that out of date, or even chilled from a supermarket

Biggles

If in doubt, I take a look at www.stilltasty.com. As with 'best by' dates, it's only a guide, but it's still very interesting.

Ectophile

Personally, I would never eat any meat or fish product that had passed its "use by" date, whatever it smells like.

When it comes to "best before" dates, I'm a bit more flexible, and I will eat it if it looks OK.

[Deleted User]

lkmc01 wrote: »

just pick mound off.

I think anything with a "mound" which has to be "picked off" would be going straight to the bin in my home.:eek:

Valli

I have eaten OOD yoghurts (long past it's eat by date, actually) - as long as the lid hasn't 'domed' it's fine and and I have frequently sliced mould off cheese.

I have (inadvertantly) eaten mouldy bread and it tasted 'earthy' and I wouldn't do it again.

Nile

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LadyShallot

It depends on what it is. If It's meat, don't mess with the 'best before date' Dairy products, you can go two or three dates past the due date. Rule of thumb is if it smells off, don't eat it!

cyclonebri1

Valli wrote: »

I have eaten OOD yoghurts (long past it's eat by date, actually) - as long as the lid hasn't 'domed' it's fine and and I have frequently sliced mould off cheese.

I have (inadvertantly) eaten mouldy bread and it tasted 'earthy' and I wouldn't do it again.

I actually love yoghurts that are physically fizzing,:o:o, since yoghurts are gone off milk essentially, it doesn't bother me.

They taste better then too:D:D

ariba10

We have been married for over 61 years and when we married and when we were being brought up, there were no such things as "Best before" or "Use by" dates.

I am amazed that we are still alive!