Cottage Cheese?

[suziquzie]

I am really almost afraid to start this thread and the debate to follow.... but I have to.
I have an unopened carton of cottage cheese, dated Feb 17th. 4 days ago. This is a SELL BY date. Usually I throw stuff away opened or not if it is past the date stamped.... sell by OR use by. It's supposed to be ok a week past the sell by date. I need it for what I'm making right now and I don't want to go get more. Am I being paranoid?
In my head, they don't put dates on stuff for no reason, bad is bad.
What do you do?
Be kind to each other boys, have at it.

 

[jennyema]

It's pretty easy to tell when cottage cheese goes bad. It will smell and be separated and taste funky. So smell/look/taste it and see.

Obviously don't use it if you have any question at all.

 

[Alix]

I had a friend who worked in the Lucerne dairy plant. He told me that they stamp stuff a week before they think it will actually spoil. If your container is unopened I'd venture a guess its safe. Just use it all up ASAP when you open it.

 

[suziquzie]

It's pretty easy to tell when cottage cheese goes bad. It will smell and be separated and taste funky. So smell/look/taste it and see.

Obviously don't use it if you have any question at all.

Gotcha, this is where paranoid comes in....
I do smell, taste it , etc. but then I think maybe its ABOUT to go bad and I just cant taste or smell that yet!
Yes, I understand I am not quite right in the head. I'm ok with it now though.

 

[BreezyCooking]

I know that I'm the "wild card rogue" of food safety around here - lol!! - but your unopened container of cottage cheese (which I assume has been refrigerated) is absolutely positively fine 4 days past it's expiry date. In fact, while I hesitate to mention it, it would still be perfectly fine - if still sealed/unopened - several weeks past the expiry date. Sealed/unopened dairy products have surprisingly good holding powers - including maintaining their freshness & quality.

 

[jennyema]

If it doesn't look, smell or taste bad it'll be fine.

But if it's a bit off it might ruin whatever you are making, even if it doesn't make you sick.

Lasagna?

 

[suziquzie]

No I found a recipe for Mashed potatoes that used ricotta but I don't have any... I figured I use cottage cheese in lasagna so I'd try it here.

 

[Callisto in NC]

I know that I'm the "wild card rogue" of food safety around here - lol!! - but your unopened container of cottage cheese (which I assume has been refrigerated) is absolutely positively fine 4 days past it's expiry date. In fact, while I hesitate to mention it, it would still be perfectly fine - if still sealed/unopened - several weeks past the expiry date. Sealed/unopened dairy products have surprisingly good holding powers - including maintaining their freshness & quality.

I agree with Breezy, it's good and will be for a few more days at minimum, a couple weeks even.

 

[TATTRAT]

your nose will know, as soon as you open it.

As said, chances are , it is fine.

 

[suziquzie]

Thanks everyone. That was so much more pleasant of a discussion than I expected!!!

 

[jennyema]

Thanks everyone. That was so much more pleasant of a discussion than I expected!!!

Just don't ask us about chicken!

 

[pacanis]

Well.... I'm still here aren't I?
I opened a container of cottage cheese Sunday or Monday night that had a sell date of Jan 30th! And I ate some!! Right out of the container!!! I just looked at it and barely have a little clearish liquid on top, but you get that anyway after it's been opened. Nothing that won't mix back in. It smells fresh so I still plan on keeping it until it doesn't. I do the same with sour cream, too.

Your mileage may vary.....

 

[auntdot]

I don't know Breezy, I am also usually in the 'use it' camp and have taken gas for it - very polite and civilized gas I will readily add. A single rogue is looked upon as a pest, two or more and we have a movement. Although when we are wrong the movements we will have will not be appreciated.

Anyhow, I agree. Have used dairy such as sour cream, cream, cream cheese (and almost any cheese) well past the 'sell by' or 'use by' dates. And with no problem. Don't know why these products are so hearty but they seem to be. Think I heard an explanation once but will be darned if I can remember it.

 

[suziquzie]

Just don't ask us about chicken!

Well I AM having it WITH chicken.... I didn't ask how to handle it, so I guess if you never hear from me again, I did something wrong and I am paying for it!

 

[Constance]

I know that I'm the "wild card rogue" of food safety around here - lol!! - but your unopened container of cottage cheese (which I assume has been refrigerated) is absolutely positively fine 4 days past it's expiry date. In fact, while I hesitate to mention it, it would still be perfectly fine - if still sealed/unopened - several weeks past the expiry date. Sealed/unopened dairy products have surprisingly good holding powers - including maintaining their freshness & quality.

I opened some that was a month past one time, and it was still delicious. But, we do have a good refrigerator, and with just the two of us here, it isn't constantly being opened like it is when you have kids around.

 

[Katie H]

Cottage cheese has a remarkable way of lasting much longer than the expiration date on the carton. One thing you can do to keep it from spoiling sooner than it might is to store the carton upside down before AND after opening. I've been doing this for years and it really does make a difference. I also store sour cream and ricotta cheese this way.

A friend of mine who was a chef said he was taught to store these foods this way. He didn't tell me the "why" of it, just that it works. I've tested side-by-side containers and there really IS a difference. Maybe one of our scientist-types can explain.

 

[jpmcgrew]

I don't know Breezy, I am also usually in the 'use it' camp and have taken gas for it - very polite and civilized gas I will readily add. A single rogue is looked upon as a pest, two or more and we have a movement. Although when we are wrong the movements we will have will not be appreciated.

Anyhow, I agree. Have used dairy such as sour cream, cream, cream cheese (and almost any cheese) well past the 'sell by' or 'use by' dates. And with no problem. Don't know why these products are so hearty but they seem to be. Think I heard an explanation once but will be darned if I can remember it.

Same here I use well past expiration date. I think keeping fridge cold enough helps and I keep my dairy products on the bottom shelf where it is colder.

 

[mozart]

Thanks everyone. That was so much more pleasant of a discussion than I expected!!!

I totally agree with Callisto, and Breezy. It is truly a new and wondrous day

If you all were here right now, we could have a heart warming rendition of "Kumbaya".

 

[pacanis]

Cottage cheese has a remarkable way of lasting much longer than the expiration date on the carton. One thing you can do to keep it from spoiling sooner than it might is to store the carton upside down before AND after opening. I've been doing this for years and it really does make a difference. I also store sour cream and ricotta cheese this way.

A friend of mine who was a chef said he was taught to store these foods this way. He didn't tell me the "why" of it, just that it works. I've tested side-by-side containers and there really IS a difference. Maybe one of our scientist-types can explain.

Hey, great idea. Thanks.
It probably has something to do with air not being able to get in the container, like if you store a liter of pop upside down... or at least so the pop is covering the cap.
I didn't realize that those cottage cheese and sour cream plastic containers could be turned upside down. They never seemed like they had much of a seal.

Good stuff to know!

 

[Michael in FtW]

A SELL BY date is NOT an EXPIRATION date! It is a date that the producer has determined is the last date that the retailer should sell the product to give the consumer a week or two before the product begins to go bad.

A BEST IF USED BY or USE BY date is not an expiration date, either. It is a date that the producer has determined is when the quality and/or texture of the product will begin to decline.

Only an EXPIRATION DATE is an expiration date - a date after which a food should not be consumed or even opened.

The above is based on the USDA Federal regulations - some states may have other date requirements, as may some other countries.

I've had milk start to go bad before the Sell By date - and some that was fine two weeks after. I've had Ricotta cheese that was just fine (unopened) 2 years past the sell by date. Sour cream had similar results ... 6 months past the Sell By date - but got moldy within a week after being opened.