Do you eat food past it's 'best before' date? (not use-by date)

[Jamie89]

Or do you throw it away? :nono:


East of England Co-op will become the first major retailer to sell food beyond its "best before" dates.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-42217026

"This is not a money making exercise, but a sensible move to reduce food waste and keep edible food in the food chain."

The retailer estimates the initiative will stop at least 50,000 items a year being thrown away.

[Niamh.]

Depends what it is really, if it looks and smells alright and it's only a day or so past the date I would still eat it. Dairy stuff I'd be a bit funny about though so probably wouldn't

[smudgie]

We have been known to throw tins away, if they have been left at the back of the cupboard for a few years.
But unless it has a use by date on it then we are not too prissy about it.

[Jamie89]

Depends what it is really, if it looks and smells alright and it's only a day or so past the date I would still eat it. Dairy stuff I'd be a bit funny about though so probably wouldn't

Best before is really just foods that don't go off, but start to lose quality, whereas other foods like those you've mentioned will have a use-by date instead. Should have probably clarified but I've changed the title now

[Niamh.]

Best before is really just foods that don't go off, but start to lose quality, whereas other foods like those you've mentioned will have a use-by date instead. Should have probably clarified but I've changed the title now

ah right, in that case yeah I probably would unless it looked or smelled bad

[bots]

Where products have a best before date, they are generally not an item that will go off in the short term. The best before merely indicates that it could degrade in quality after that date. So no one should really be put off from buying it.

Jamie beat me to it :laugh:

[Crimson Dynamo]

best before my arse

but i would pay attention to "use by"

[Alf]

How did you let the food get out of date? Have you won the bloody lottery or something?

[Crimson Dynamo]

:joker:

[Denver]

How did you let the food get out of date? Have you won the bloody lottery or something?

https://memegenerator.net/img/images/7535565.jpg

[LukeB]

Throw it away immediately

[Alf]

https://memegenerator.net/img/images/7535565.jpgKing of the armchair.

[Calderyon]

Depends.

Usually check them before throwing it away. If it doesn´t smell funky, it gets a first class ticket to my stomach.

[Nicky91]

depends, if there is mold on it i throw it away

[caprimint]

Always eat it if it looks/smells okay

[RileyH]

ew no throw it away that's disgusting

[Wizard.]

Crisps and chocolate is okay anything else no well I can eat bread a couple of days after.

[Josy]

I'm quite fussy/paranoid really and mostly throw it away.

We throw a lot of bread to the birds like almost full loaves at a time because once its been opened for a day I think it loses its freshness

[caprimint]

I'm quite fussy/paranoid really and mostly throw it away.

We throw a lot of bread to the birds like almost full loaves at a time because once its been opened for a day I think it loses its freshness
Such a waste :nono:

If you wanna keep it fresh, maybe freeze it and just take out as much as you want at a time?

[Cherie]

I'm quite fussy/paranoid really and mostly throw it away.

We throw a lot of bread to the birds like almost full loaves at a time because once its been opened for a day I think it loses its freshness

Very wasteful, you can toast it, make bread and butter pudding, whiz it down for breadcrumbs to make meatballs or stuffing, use it for crumble topping and still give some to the birds, too much and you just encourage rats :nono:

[Denver]

I'm quite fussy/paranoid really and mostly throw it away.

We throw a lot of bread to the birds like almost full loaves at a time because once its been opened for a day I think it loses its freshness

Bread kills birds

[Cherie]

Bread kills birds

Josy a bird killer and rat breeder :hehe:

[reece(:]

Inspect it before deciding

[Eddie.]

I throw them out due to past experiences of food poisoning. It happens rarely though, I try and finish up all my food before the expiry date...

[y.winter]

I don't eat a lot of packaged food and plant based food tend to be far more forgiving in this area (long shelf life and it's overall quite easy to see/smell if it's no good).
I'd be checking if it looks suspicious and then decide. I wouldn't throw it right away.

[Beso]

No way, unless its cheese.

[user104658]

No way, unless its cheese.

Off Cheese / dairy is one of the worst things you can eat :umm2:. Even out of date meat, if it smells fine and you cook it well, is fine... but out of date dairy (cream, cheese, especially yoghurt) can taste OK but do nasty **** to your stomach and gut.

[Shaun]

I wouldn't say "I eat it all" but if it looks fine, then yes :think:

[GoldHeart]

"Best before date" usually means you're ok to eat the item a day or 2 afterwards and it should be fine but it depends what the food is ,and it's best to check it still looks and smells ok .

but "use by date" is more risky and i would throw it away :nono:.

[Josy]

Such a waste :nono:

If you wanna keep it fresh, maybe freeze it and just take out as much as you want at a time?

I don't like the texture when its been frozen :/

Very wasteful, you can toast it, make bread and butter pudding, whiz it down for breadcrumbs to make meatballs or stuffing, use it for crumble topping and still give some to the birds, too much and you just encourage rats :nono:

The birds happily eat it all so theres never any left to encourage rats :hee: