Expiration Dates, yes or no??? I need some answers because I'm at a loss....

[jay1022]

I have a question - do you follow expiration dates on food strictly?  Or do you use them as a guideline?  Me, I'm a by-the-book expiration date gal.  I feel that they are there for a reason, seeing as how the people who've prepared the food put them there so they know best

Comments

[kimbari]

Well, I don't eat eggs, so I couldn't help you there, although I wouldn't use them in a recipe if they were more than a day or two past the stale date.

I put some half&half with a stale date of September 29 in my coffee this morning. *pats self* Still here! :D With dairy I do a smell check, even if it's within the stale date. (I've had the misfortune of buying milk that went bad way before the stale date. :( If it smells okay, I will eat/drink it but if it smells the slightest bit off, I throw it away. I have a VERY sensitive nose (I can smell a lit cigarette through WALLS, man!) so I trust it.

You're not the least bit wrong. Stale dates are a LOT more flexible when you're poor, though. :)

[jay1022]

I do smell dairy too, even if before it's date because you can never be to careful. But you're a braver woman than I because I just can't use any dairy if it's past it's date.

[whyoffry]

Nope. Not crazy. I've heard of eating eggs three to five weeks after, but it really depends on the eggs. I usually just toss after the expiration date.

[jay1022]

I usually just toss after the expiration date.

A girl after my own heart :D In a pinch, I might use them a day or two after, but that would be after close inspection and smell detection.

[ghoulsis]

Eggs have expiration dates?

[jay1022]

LOL!

[jay1022]

I would never think to not refrigerate them since that's how I buy them, but it's good to know.

I'm pretty sure these said expiration and not sell by, but even if it said sell by, how would one know that there is a 2 week grace period on the eggs? Or any other food that's labeled the same? Do you know if a website has info like that? *scratches head* Even if it was labeled sell by, I'm sure I would not have used them-I'm just to anal sometimes.

I would probably get along fabulously with your husband :D But again, I did not know that the mold is a contact spore-probably should or did, years ago in school, but I'm going to keep that in mind because I will sometimes throw out strawberries or blueberries when some go moldy.

[endlessdeep]

I pretty much follow the expiration dates on things, but with eggs I will go past the date a week or two. Eggs are just different. I guess it's because they are in their own little package.

I also buy organic milk because if you've ever noticed, it lasts longer than non-organic milk. I've noticed that my daughter doesn't get the really bad stuffy nose if she drinks organic milk. It is expensive though.

[jay1022]

After all the input, I'm thinking a week or so is ok for eggs, but I was right about it being 23 days past with my SIL. At least I'm not crazy :D