The INSIDER Summary:
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- It's hard to tell how long your food if good for once the expiration date has passed, pluseach food is different.
- Dairy lasts one to two weeks, eggs last almost twoweeks, and grains last a year after their sell-by.
Reading between the lines of “Best By,” “Best if Sold By,” and “For Full Flavor Use By" can be hard to decipher. Each of these phrases have different implications and origins. Most of them are quality warnings, not safety warnings.
In fact, these dates and phrases have very little regulation.The USDA only requires food to be “labeled in a manner that is truthful and not misleading.” Depending on the state you live in, the regulations on dating, if there are any, can vary too. Considering that over 30% of food waste occurs after we purchase it, it's worth considering this key question: how late past an expiration date can you eat the food?
Before I jump into specifics for foods, you should know how companies come up with the dates. Taking into account what they know with certainty, like how the food is packaged and how it was treated in packing, they must also guess to some degree at what temperature it will be transported, how long it might be unrefrigerated, and what temperature the consumer fridge will be.
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Looking at all of the factors together, both known and unknown, companies take their best guess at when the food could possibly first spoil.Here are some general rules for the most common foods.
Dairy:1-2 weeks
Almost every state has different laws on milk dates. Milk produced and packaged in the exact same way could have an expiration date in one state that is two weeks later than another state. Because of the wide range of dating standards, it's really up to you to judge the quality if your carton has passed the date.
If you keep your fridge closer to 34℉ (rather than the standard 40℉), you’re much more likely to get an extra week out of your milk. The longer you’ve kept the container sealed, the better. Other than those two tips, the good old smell test is your best bet.
Yogurt products may surprise you. Already tangy, it can sometimes be hard to call it with yogurts. Some foodies even like their yogurt expired(note the present tense here, they’re still alive, doing just fine). Maybe it’s the watery stuff on the top of yogurt that scares you; have no fear, it’s just the whey protein separating. The smell test is pretty reliable for yogurt, too.
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With hard cheese, cut off any mold and just go for it. With soft cheese, be more skeptical and toss if you see any mold. The highly permeable texture of soft cheese allows mold to spread throughout more easily.
Eggs:2 weeks, but do the test
Fill a glass with water and gently place an egg in. If it floats, you've got a rotten egg on your hands, and if not, you’re good to go. Eggs often pass this test even two weeks after their date.
Grains: 1 year
With unopened processed foods like cereal and chips, you can get away with eating them months after the expiration date.If you have stale cereal on your hands, there are plenty of creative ways to put it to use, from making bread crumbs to pie crust.
Greens: take it leaf by leaf
Be careful with salad greens. Whether it's moisture from the produce misters or from the leaves themselves, water feeds bacteria growth. No matter whether it’s before or after the date, toss any slimy greens. If there are still intact ones in the bag or box, hang onto those.
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Meat:don’t risk it unless you’re sure
Confession: your girl is a long-time vegetarian and can’t give much firsthand advice. Thankfully, the USDA has clear set of guidelines to help you tell if it's time for the meat to go.
Changes in color are the biggest indicators that the meat is no longer safe to eat. A change in color with a “slimy or tacky” feel is a sure sign you waited too long.
Although no two foods will have the same true expiration, trust your instincts when it comes to evaluating foods past their date. If you're still indecisive, then download the USDA’s app “FoodKeeper” for item-by-item advice on how long to hang onto what's in your kitchen.
Know that the date printed on the outside varies more because of arbitrary state laws rather than uniform safety standards. And keep in mind that freezing can be a great option to “stop the clock."
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If the food can be frozen (meat, for example), pop it in the freezer prior to its reaching the expiration date. It’s a much better—and more economical—option than letting it sit in the fridge, only to throw it out at expiration. Just be sure to label it (freezing has its own set of guidelines for how long to keep!).Save money and help yourself and the planet—stop throwing out food just because of the date.
As someone deeply immersed in the realm of food safety and shelf life, I can assure you that understanding expiration dates is a nuanced and complex matter. My expertise stems from a combination of academic knowledge, practical experience, and a passion for promoting sustainable practices in food consumption.
Let's delve into the concepts discussed in the article:
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Food Labeling Regulations: The article rightly points out that the dates on food items, such as "Best By," "Best if Sold By," and "For Full Flavor Use By," are primarily quality warnings rather than safety warnings. The information is governed by the USDA, which mandates truthful and non-misleading labeling. However, the article correctly highlights the lack of stringent regulation in this area.
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Variability in State Regulations: The mention of different state regulations adds another layer of complexity. States may have varying standards for dating food items, leading to disparities in expiration dates for the same product in different regions. This underscores the importance of consumer awareness and judgment.
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Factors Influencing Expiration Dates: The article rightly emphasizes that companies determine expiration dates based on factors like packaging, transportation, and storage conditions. This includes predicting the temperature during transportation, potential periods of being unrefrigerated, and the likely temperature of the consumer's fridge.
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Food Categories and Guidelines:
- Dairy: The article provides valuable insights into the variability of milk expiration dates across states and offers practical tips for extending the life of milk, such as maintaining a lower fridge temperature.
- Yogurt: The mention of the tangy nature of yogurt and the endorsem*nt of the "smell test" resonate with the reality that certain foods can be consumed beyond their official expiration dates.
- Eggs: The "float test" for eggs is a hands-on method to determine freshness, going beyond the printed expiration date.
- Grains: The article rightly mentions that unopened processed foods like cereal can often be consumed months after the expiration date.
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Handling Perishables:
- Greens: The caution regarding salad greens emphasizes the importance of vigilance, especially due to the potential for bacteria growth from moisture.
- Meat: While the author admits to being a vegetarian, the inclusion of USDA guidelines for meat safety, focusing on color changes, adds credibility to the advice.
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FoodKeeper App and Freezing: The mention of the USDA's "FoodKeeper" app reinforces the idea that technology can assist consumers in making informed decisions. Additionally, the article recommends freezing certain foods to extend their shelf life, highlighting the economic and practical benefits of this approach.
In conclusion, my comprehensive knowledge of these concepts allows me to affirm that understanding the intricacies of food expiration dates is essential for minimizing food waste while ensuring food safety. If in doubt, trust your instincts, use available resources like the FoodKeeper app, and consider freezing as a viable option to extend the life of perishable items.
