Sell by / Use By dates

Zascar

How strictly do you abide by these? I saw a bbc program a while back that says they are totally over cautious and in most times you are absolutely fine to eat most things a few days past. There are some however that are definite no-no's but with general stuff, unless it actually looks or smells bad, you're generally fine.

I just hate throwing away good food.

leahyl

Zascar wrote: »

How strictly do you abide by these? I saw a bbc program a while back that says they are totally over cautious and in most times you are absolutely fine to eat most things a few days past. There are some however that are definite no-no's but with general stuff, unless it actually looks or smells bad, you're generally fine.

I just hate throwing away good food.

+1. I mean obviously there are certain things that you just wouldn't eat past it's date and they would show signs that they should be thrown out by that time anyway - like say egg mayonnaise or whatever, cold meat if it stinks to the high heavens but generally, as my mum would say, it's only a 'suggested' date. Even milk can be fine for a few days afterwards - it's all about using the senses - sight, smell - if it's got green mould on it and smells rank then throw it out LOL:D!

the beer revolu

Been discussed here before.

Basically, you can pretty much ignore best before dates and judge for yourself but general advise would have it that use by dates should be adhered to.

Myself, I use my experience, senses, personal taste and common sense to judge a food's suitability for eating and I often find these dates useful in making that judgement.

Lollymcd

Funny story.

I work with inner city teenagers. One day the discussion got around to use/sell-by-dates (anything other than do some letter drafting or grammar work!) They are obsessed with these use/sell-by-dates and will throw out produce the day before "just to be on the safe side" Some how the conversation turned to freezers and I was making a case for how beneficial they are at preserving food so it does not go off... no... if something is passed its use/sell-by-date and it's in the freezer it gets thrown out too! I was astonished, I asked them seriously, if they bought sausages on a Monday from the butchers, put them in the freezer on the Monday and they went out of date the following Monday, what would they do??? The answer was throw them out!!! This prompted me to ask why bother with the freezer at all? They took this under consideration for quite a while and the response was that they use the freezer when there's no more room in the fridge....

Aaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

One of many stories that frequently has me pulling my hair out...

Davidth88

thats an interesting story !

Indeed , I was a the Tesco's short date cheap food section just after Christmas.

There was a woman going through the blocks of cheese looking at the use by dates (which were about 2-3 days time ).

She rejected them....

I was surprised , after all cheese to me keeps to days and days after it's ' use by ' .

I would stick to use by for anything with cream in , also any meat/fish ( obviously fish ! )

It makes me laugh to see use by dates on things like salt and pepper !!

the beer revolu

Davidth88 wrote: »

thats an interesting story !

Indeed , I was a the Tesco's short date cheap food section just after Christmas.

There was a woman going through the blocks of cheese looking at the use by dates (which were about 2-3 days time ).

She rejected them....

I was surprised , after all cheese to me keeps to days and days after it's ' use by ' .

I would stick to use by for anything with cream in , also any meat/fish ( obviously fish ! )

It makes me laugh to see use by dates on things like salt and pepper !!

You won't see use by dates on things like salt and pepper - you get best before dates on such items.
Can't see any reason for them on salt but spices, including pepper, do deteriorate with time.