A Keep It Question

[Penny's Pappa]

So I guess you could consider this a S/O of all the "Keep it or toss it?" threads.

For all you "Keep It" folks out there, what's the longest amount of time beyond a Use By/Sell By date that you have eaten an item?

Personally, I'm kind of a dirtbag so my record stands at 2 years. It was a bottle of sriracha hot sauce that I just threw away a couple days ago and even then it was just out of principle not because of any safety concern.

[s7714]

I'm pretty sure I made up some brownies in college despite the mix being at least a year past the date. These days I toss it if it's more than a couple months past the date, but I'm trying not to buy that sort of stuff (unless I actually plan to use it sooner than later) so I don't end up with that happening.

[EllasMum]

:bag

I once realized that I had been eating cheese slices (the plastic wrapped kind) that were *3* years, yes, YEARS, past their expiry date. Like you, though, I only threw them out on principle. :waving4:

[citymama]

Two years past sell by date for sriracha? That would be pretty routine around here if sriracha lasted that long in our home. We are hot sauce fiends. But I think 2 years for things like that, that are filled with preservatives and keep, sure. I tend to be mellow about those kinds of things, but cautious with perishables. My DH is mellow on both counts!

I've definitely used OTC meds more than 2 years past sell date - for me and DH, not for kids. I once found a bottle of ketchup in my ILs fridge that was bought the same year as the fridge - 10 years previously - and my FIL wouldn't let me toss it! :ROTFLMAO: I definitely draw the line there!

[kijip]

Allow me to introduce you to my husband's collection of random salad dressings. We are still using stuff and have not tossed, that is at least 2 years "too old". Why do we have this? Because he buys a lot of different bottles, opens more than one to try a different flavor and then 9 in 10 salads I make, I use my own homemade dressing for. :hysterical: I did once toss a very old container of salsa from the very back of the fridge, but it smelled off.

[lalasmama]

For boxed dinners (yeah, I know, that's the extent of my cooking, how embarrassing!), I've started getting picky. Nothing past 2 years beyond the "Best By" date. :bag I recently threw out things that had expired in early 2006. I figured it wouldn't be too good 5 years later!

Now, for fridge things, a week past the "sell by" date for dairy, and it's hit and miss for anything else.

[niccig]

Vegemite that was over a year past the use by date. I was given a 1 kg jar from visitors, and you don't use much of it on toast. I asked my mother if I should be concerned as it was well past the use by date. She told me only vegemite and cockroaches would survive a nuclear meltdown.

It's very salty, so I kept using it until it was all gone.

[Snow mom]

I never even look at those dates. Look at the food: correct color and texture? Smell the food: nothing off? Try dipping finger into food and tasting cautiously: seems alright? Eat food ;)

[egoldber]

I don't really look at dates either. But it also depends on the food. Food that is really spicy or acidic lasts a long time. Food that is boxed/processed also lasts a long time.

I am more cautious now with dairy having recently taken a big spoonful of expired yogurt that really should NOT have been eaten. :o (But it still smelled OK.)

[wellyes]

DH recently made a boxed gluten free bread from 1997. Excuse me, that EXPIRED in 1997, so it was obviously older than that. ::shudder::

[BabyBearsMom]

I never even look at those dates. Look at the food: correct color and texture? Smell the food: nothing off? Try dipping finger into food and tasting cautiously: seems alright? Eat food ;)

:yeahthat: All of our condiments are way past the date. I stopped looking. Seriously, who can eat salad dressing, ketchup and mustard that fast? It is an inhuman feat or you would have to live with the Duggar family to do it. I hate wasting food, so if it doesn't seem gross, I still eat it. I don't do that for anything perishable (meat, cheese etc.) but all the non-perishable stuff is free game.

[BabyMine]

For the Sriracha lovers

http://theoatmeal.com/comics/sriracha


I know our condiments are way past their use by/exp date.
Condiments get a sniff and good look before using regardless of the use by date.

[anamika]

I rarely check expiry dates too.
I have had things go bad before the expiry date (Trader Joe, I am talking to you!!) and things stay good for long past the expiry date.

Is it sad that I have not tried Sriracha sauce yet? Must.add.to.grocery.list!

[Penny's Pappa]

Is it sad that I have not tried Sriracha sauce yet? Must.add.to.grocery.list!

I avoided it for the longest time as well. The stuff just looks radioactively hot. But, man, it is sooooo delicious. I recently tried the spicy chili garlic paste they make too, and it is also very good.