'Sell by', 'Use by', & 'Best Before'

Davey Jones

Davey Jones

Well-known Member
Location
Florida
Does anyone actually go by these statements when it come to food?

I just found an opened jar of hot sauce in the back of the refrigerator that expired last May.
Opening it up and taking a sniff it seems OK to me,taste it by finger still OK.

My Mom told me the best way is to "sniff and taste" but that was then this is now.

Today my way is if the open item been sitting there for more then 3 months, throw it out.
 

I don't.. Of course if something is YEARS old.. I'll toss it. But months? No. Unless of course it smells bad or has mold on it. I think condiments are pretty safe.. mustard, ketchup.. relish.. But salad dressing I would be more concerned about.
 

I don't like waste and endeavour to use all food within its sell by date. I always throw away anything that has expired, better be safe rather than sorry..
 
The best thing about 'sell by' dates is that you get food cheap when the date comes - otherwise I just ignore them! Throwing away food just because the date has come and gone is terrible waste. There was a time when there were no sell by / best by etc... and we're still around. Fresh food doesn't come with a date and we make up our own minds if it's OK to eat.
 
Most sell/use by dates are nothing more than a suggestion, that is except for certain perishables like meats, eggs fresh veggies and even the eggs can go a weeks past the expiration date. Like some said, give it a smell and use your own common senses for the most part.

hot sauce: http://www.stilltasty.com/fooditems/index/17422

If I have a real question about a food type I'll look it up on the web just like I do with medications, many medications, because even many of those can be potent years after the expiration date, but best to be certain.

Here are some helpful articles:

I like this site, you can type in any food in it's search bar for your answer, http://www.stilltasty.com/


http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/do-food-expiration-dates-matter
 
I pay attention to sell by dates when I'm buying stuff, but if they expire at home, I use common sense as AprilT said. There's plenty of canned and dry goods in our pantry that has expired.
 
Even bottled water has an expiration date nowdays; and there is nothing likely to go wrong with that unless it is not properly sealed, and even then, it would probably still be usable.
I often buy my produce as it is reaching the expiration date because my Kroger store marks it down to half price or less; and i will be using it right away, or at the least, freezing it so that it does't spoil.
Some things can also be dehydrated and kept stored that way . Mushrooms are great to do that with, and then you can add them to soups later, and after they cook, they are great in the soup.
As far as things that are in the refrigerator, I look and smell and taste and if i am in doubt, throw it out.
 
I agree that most sell by/use by are suggestions, most foodstuffs will be alright past the dates.Cans keep forever , just about.I only take note of dates with fresh supermarket meat, and with bread products as you want them to be fresh not stale. The sniff test is good for most foods, and it's what animals do!
 
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