Christmas food - long sell by dates

shetitasatic

I recently posted in 'Shop, don't drop' that my local Tesco superstore was stocking the shelves with Christmas biscuits, chocolates and food on Monday (3rd Sept). This was a light hearted, tongue in cheek post but it made me think. Given time in the production and distribution chain these products must have been manufactured (not BAKED) sometime in August, to be eaten in late December. Now this is OK for Christmas cakes and puddings, which need time to mature (not sure about the icing though!) I know this is the case with most things we buy readymade, but how much preservatives and other chemicals must products contain to keep in peak condition for 4 -5 months?

I don't think many OS'ers are preparing to bake a batch of shortbread now, to put in a tin, seal with sellotape and keep until Christmas, are they?

p-pincher

I knoew what you mean, ive just walked through M&S and the boxes of sohrtbread are all on display inviting you to buy them for christmas. They may well be organic but when you think of the stuff that must be added to keep them from going off I cant really see the point of the organic sort.

odds-n-sods

that's because all stores' processed food has additives and preservatives. Home made doesn't. And because stores think we want the stuff now - get the jump on the competition! If it wasn't bought it wouldnt be out there so early.

Gingernutmeg

Sugar is a natural preservative, and most of the Christmas foods that are out now are very, very highly sugared or pickled in stuff like vinegar, another natural preservative. Some of the food will have artificial preservatives in it, but that kind of food (cakes, puddings, biscuits, chocolates etc) will keep fairly well anyway as long as it's sealed and kept in cool, dark conditions.

My mum owns a small deli and we get the Christmas reps coming round from about April, and we have to order the stuff by August. Most of the Christmas stock will be made by now, even if you buy it closer to Christmas, as the chocolate factories turn their attention to Easter eggs from November onwards!