Expired stuff in your fridge

[GotGarlic]

My point exactly. If expiration dates are so dang important on condiments, one would think the dates would be bigger if it's really a health concern, and not just a ploy to buy new ones. Hmmm

As I just mentioned, sometimes it means the flavor and/or texture deteriorate after these dates.

 

[Aunt Bea]

Nice, we just did a purge of garage/pantry and refrigerator and t's so nice to see things gone we will never use up. The freezer is next but mall the steaks are going on the grill. My son just did the restaurant where he is chef and pissed the other chef off because he threw out all the old meat and things out of date. You can't feed that to high end customers. The owner was pleased.

That's the stuff you feed to the employees!!!

 

[Kayelle]

That's the stuff you feed to the employees!!!

My thought too, or just ask the employees who would like to take it home.

 

[Lance Bushrod]

He refused to feed them 3 year old steaks and they discussed that.
They eat well, though. He does get pissed when they eat desserts without asking but they know better now.

 

[The Rugged Dude]

I hate throwing anything out... I give 'er the 'ol sniff test and if it passes, I'll use it up that day. If it fails, it goes out to the back 40 ...


One thing I don't worry too much about are the expiry dates. I use things all the time that are "expired." If it smells okay... (see above.)


RD

 

[Zagut]

Pet Peeve.

It's not an expiration date.

It's a "best buy" date.

It's about quality assurance.

There is no magic number.

Common sense is your friend in this situation.

Use it or toss it is up to you but don't let a date stamped on a can be what decides it.

 

[GotGarlic]

He refused to feed them 3 year old steaks and they discussed that.
They eat well, though. He does get pissed when they eat desserts without asking but they know better now.

Seems like it would make good stock, though.

 

[Addie]

Pet Peeve.

It's not an expiration date.

It's a "best buy" date.

It's about quality assurance.

There is no magic number.

Common sense is your friend in this situation.

Use it or toss it is up to you but don't let a date stamped on a can be what decides it.

You are so right Zagut. But most folks would rather stick to the old beliefs. For them it is an expiration date. What a lot of them are forgetful of is that once a product is opened, it immediately starts to lose some of the quality of the product. And that is going on even before it is opened and still sealed. Air can rob a lot of foods of it quality. Those dates on the product are mostly for the store. They will pull the product from the shelves a short time after the date and return it to the maker.

 

[Kayelle]

He refused to feed them 3 year old steaks and they discussed that.
They eat well, though. He does get pissed when they eat desserts without asking but they know better now.

While I understand 3 year old properly frozen prime steaks not being suitable for your Chef son in a high end restaurant, throwing them in the trash...really?

 

[Zagut]

That's a good point Addie. Once it's opened a new clock is started. Again common sense (Not that there is much these days. ) should prevail.

But I'm happy folks think it's a magic number because I've gotten some great deals at the meat counter on older meats that are perfectly fine but much cheaper due to the magic date.

 

[Mad Cook]

Over here we have "Sell By" dates which are for the store's info, and "Use by" dates and "Best By" dates which are both for the shoppers information.

Strictly speaking, "Use by" means what it says but the producers so are worried about getting into trouble that these dates often err on the safe side so badly that, with a bit of common sense, a day or so after the use by date won't hurt.

"Best by" is used on none-perishable items and the date may often be a year of two hence. They are usually products that might deteriorate in flavour or quality but won't actually hurt you if you let the "best by" date get away from you.

Common sense is the thing. If it has a hairy beard, smells odd or generally doesn't look right, throw it away. And I am always careful about raw meat. If I buy fresh meat (raw) and I'm not going to use it for a day or two I put it in the 'fridge in a "Lock and Lock" box but if I'm not intending to use it until, say, the weekend, it goes in the freezer. I think it's also important to load the 'fridge properly eg not putting raw meat on an open plate above some unwrapped food.

One thing I threw out this week was the remains of a roasted chicken. As I was getting the milk out of the 'fridge I glanced down to see the cat just grabbing a mouthful of the bird from the bottom shelf! Needless to say the chicken was consigned to the dustbin. Fortunately there wasn't much left so not too much wasted.

I'm lucky in that I live 5 minutes in the car or 15 minutes walk from the shops in the village so I don't have the problems that some of you have with shopping and food storage.

 

[Mad Cook]

He refused to feed them 3 year old steaks and they discussed that.
They eat well, though. He does get pissed when they eat desserts without asking but they know better now.

I recently cooked and ate some fillet steak that I found in the bottom of the freezer. Couldn't read the date on it but I know it was part of a Christmas present from one of my butcher relatives to my mother. No idea how long it had been lurking in the frozen depths but my mother died in 2011 and hadn't been able to chew steak for a few years before that. The texture wasn't as good as I would have liked but the flavour was OK and I'm still alive. There's more still in the freezer so I'll probably eat that too. Having said that, I knew the meat's provenance so knew it was good quality and handled in hygienic conditions before freezing. I don't think I'd do likewise with meat of unknown origin.

 

[Zagut]

I think it's also important to load the 'fridge properly eg not putting raw meat on an open plate above some unwrapped food.

Thank you for saying this. It's more important then the magic number.

One thing I threw out this week was the remains of a roasted chicken. As I was getting the milk out of the 'fridge I glanced down to see the cat just grabbing a mouthful of the bird from the bottom shelf! Needless to say the chicken was consigned to the dustbin. Fortunately there wasn't much left so not too much wasted.

My what a rude cat.

Ethel and Lucy would never done such a thing.

They'd have pestered me relentlessly until I surrendered and given them the chicken.

The chicken should have gone into the cat bowl rather then the bin.

That way there is less waste and happy kitties.

 

[Janet H]

I'll bet many people have a large percentage of stuff in there fridge that has been there too long but they figure they'll use it "some day", or they only tried it once and weren't crazy about it but don't want to toss it because they paid good money for it...

Pleading the 5th on this....

Many years ago I wrote a song about this topic.

View attachment 05 Red's Refrigerator Rag.mp3

 

[Kayelle]

Pleading the 5th on this....

Many years ago I wrote a song about this topic.

View attachment 24641

Love your song..you're really talented Janet!

 

[Cheryl J]

VERY cute, Janet, I loved that!!

 

[Addie]

That's a good point Addie. Once it's opened a new clock is started. Again common sense (Not that there is much these days. ) should prevail.

But I'm happy folks think it's a magic number because I've gotten some great deals at the meat counter on older meats that are perfectly fine but much cheaper due to the magic date.

The very first thing I hunt for after getting my butter, milk, all the items in the first aisle, I head for the meats and go on the hunt for "Manager's Special" with that big red label. I once got a beautiful rib roast for half the price. I snatched it right off the cart before the man could even put it in the counter for someone to find before me. I always try to peel off that red sticker when I get home, so I can see how much I saved and what was the original 'sell by' date. The more frugal side of me coming out.

 

[Cooking Goddess]

That was great, Janet! Just the sort of thing Himself and I used to listen to on NPR's WKSU back when we lived in OH. You have some real talent. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Addie]

VERY cute, Janet, I loved that!!

+1. I am going to assume that is your voice we hear.

 

[Andy M.]

Loved it, Janet!