How long past the "best by date" is acceptable?

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Shadowrider

Sharpshooter
Supporting Member
Special Hen Supporter
Joined
Jan 28, 2008
Messages
21,532
Reaction score
9,350
Location
Tornado Alley
Canned goods is what freaks most people out. The date says July 1, 2023. They will eat it on June 30, but throw the can in the trash on July 2.
As has been earlier posted in the links, it's only a suggested date where it will taste the best, not the date where it will be rancid.
Yep. My ex would never use a dairy product past the date. She would pour out a whole gallon of milk on that date, I asked her how it magically went bad at 12:00:01AM on the date they printed. Got a blank stare with a go to hell look for an answer. 🤣
 

dennishoddy

Sharpshooter
Supporting Member
Special Hen Supporter
Joined
Dec 9, 2008
Messages
84,874
Reaction score
62,682
Location
Ponca City Ok
Yep. My ex would never use a dairy product past the date. She would pour out a whole gallon of milk on that date, I asked her how it magically went bad at 12:00:01AM on the date they printed. Got a blank stare with a go to hell look for an answer. 🤣
I get the same response when mine does the same.
 

ClintC

Sharpshooter
Supporting Member
Special Hen Supporter
Joined
May 18, 2021
Messages
565
Reaction score
896
Location
Guthrie, Ok
If you’re having to ask the question. You should probably dump it out and go get some new Milk. My wife has a rule. If it’s out of date, it’s out of the house.
 

retrieverman

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
Aug 13, 2012
Messages
14,162
Reaction score
58,627
Location
Texas
I got a quart of chocolate milk from Casey's and the date was about four days from expiration. Took one swig and knew it was bad.
I would bet in that case the milk probably hadn’t been stored properly. I’ve used milk for cooking not drinking up to two weeks after the expiration date. If milk doesn’t have chunks, I’ll still use it for cooking. :anyone:
 

John6185

Sharpshooter
Supporting Member
Special Hen Supporter
Joined
Oct 27, 2012
Messages
9,408
Reaction score
9,773
Location
OKC
I have never gotten ill or sick eating anything past its expiration date at home. However, I have gotten violently ill with explosive vomiting eating out at some restaurants-notably Chinese. I understand they are trying to cut corners and up their profits but sometimes they push the issue and serve things that should be destined for the garbage can.
 

BillM

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
May 18, 2020
Messages
2,600
Reaction score
3,477
Location
Del City, OK
As the title states but in two parts. How long past...

1. Is acceptable to serve guests?
2. Is acceptable for me to eat?

For bruams milk it is usually good up to at least one week after the date.
That depends a lot on what it is. I've seen a meme about someone's 250million YO salt being past it's best by date. Unless the container has been sitting open in a dirty environment for years, it's probably good for another 250million years. I have personally dumped out some of SWMBO's spaghetti sauce that had been left in the fridge too long that still smelled very good, but had obvious mold all through it. IOW, smell is not a reliable gauge. About the only reliable gauge I've been able to find: If the product package is puffy now, and wasn't when you bought it, it's bad. And worse still, if the product bag looks like it was vacuum sealed, and it wasn't originally, it's botulism waiting to happen! DO NOT OPEN IT!

Botulism - Wikipedia good general info.

Botulism | Botulism | CDC very good specific info, including for home canners.

https://news.extension.uconn.edu/20...y-and-sell-by-dates-what-do-they-really-mean/
If stuff has been kept in optimal conditions, ie very nearly but not quite freezing for liquids, and below freezing for solids, it extends their shelf life. A temperature of -5F was the standard for freezers back when my dad and I were doing appliance repair back in the early 70's. Later, in the late 70's and early 80's, the photo labs I worked in kept our film and batteries in a refrigerator or freezer to extend their shelf life. The faster black and white films, like Kodak's Tri-X 400ASA film had notably finer grain in the enlargements if they'd been stored cold. Lower temperatures slow down chemical reactions in batteries, film, and foods. Also biological activity. There are limits, though. Stuff with lots of fat in it doesn't last as long as low-fat foods.

https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/cold-food-storage-charts
 

cowadle

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
Apr 11, 2009
Messages
3,454
Reaction score
4,608
Location
not available
i found a happy meal in the back toolbox of the landcruiser. it had probably been there for several years and it was completely dry and crispy but was fine in all other regard. i put it in some steam and it came back to life.
 

BillM

Sharpshooter
Special Hen
Joined
May 18, 2020
Messages
2,600
Reaction score
3,477
Location
Del City, OK
i found a happy meal in the back toolbox of the landcruiser. it had probably been there for several years and it was completely dry and crispy but was fine in all other regard. i put it in some steam and it came back to life.
RUN!!!!! Happy meals aren't supposed to be alive!

:laugh6:

I've found a few hamburgers and lots of fries in various automobiles over the years. Have had more than one dog happy to eat them, too. Me, not so much! ;)
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom