Foodstuffs

[yesman]

Does anyone here buy "out of date foodstuffs" i.e. Bread, fish, cheese, meat or even tinned stuff for that matter.

I am sure food does not perish on the date given on the label attached to it, and I was always under the impression that tinned food was a non-perishable item, maybe I am wrong.

A lot of folks around here tend to make a habit of queueing around the out of date shelf at the local Asda.

I have noticed that a lot of the time I go shopping, food items on the shelf are past their sell by date the following day, unless you root around to the back of the shelf.

I would have thought that to attract shoppers that will come back, sell by dates on items on the shelves should be removed at least two days prior.
I find it quite annoying tbh and am tempted to go elsewhere.

This has no doubt been done before but......
What do you do ?

[Roy MM]

Sell by dates are not the same as use by dates, so you buy something with todays date as a display date means you have a time span of consume on it, hope that makes sence, i'm ****ed "hic" nite.

[Millay]

This link should tell you all you need to know. I rember when tinned foods were not dataed at all... If the tin is in good condition then the contents should be fine.. I certainly dont worry about the dates on the bottom of tins:

http://www.food.gov.uk/foodindustry/.../usebydateguid
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What do ‘use by’, ‘best before’ and ‘display until’ mean?

'Use by' means exactly that. You shouldn't use any food or drink after the end of the 'use by' date shown on the label. Even if it looks and smells fine, using it after this date could put your health at risk and cause food poisoning.

You will usually find a 'use by' date on food that goes off quickly, such as milk, soft cheese, ready-prepared salads and smoked fish.

It's also important to follow any storage instructions given on food labels, otherwise the food might not last until the 'use by' date. Usually food with a 'use by' date needs to be kept in the fridge.

'Best before' dates are usually used on foods that last longer, such as frozen, dried or canned foods. It should be safe to eat food after the 'best before' date, but the food will no longer be at its best. After this date, the food might begin to lose its flavour and texture.

However, you shouldn't eat eggs after the 'best before' date. This is because eggs can contain salmonella bacteria, which could start to multiply after this date.

Some food labels also give instructions such as 'eat within a week of opening' and it's important to follow these instructions. But remember, if the 'use by' date is tomorrow, then you must use the food by the end of tomorrow, even if the label says 'eat within a week of opening' and you have only opened the food today.

'Display until' and 'sell by' dates are instructions for shop staff to tell them when they should take a product off the shelves.

Taken from:
http://www.eatwell.gov.uk/asksam/foo...samlabelterms/

[makikomi]

I think really it depends on what the food is and how it is packaged.

With food like chicken or pork, you're taking a bit of a risk if eating something after its use by date.

With other things like dried foods, they usually last longer and can be eaten fairly safely.

My brother is penny pincher (for that read "tight git") and works in a supermarket. He often buys stuff that has been reduced. When I moved out of the flat we shared to move to Leeds, he still had about 6 cartons of tea leaves which were just slightly out of date...

...ten YEARS past their sell by date.

And he was still making tea from it, claiming it tasted ok.

[greencreeper]

Sniff n feel - any doubt, bin it. I've never checked a tin for a best before date - never really occured to me I eat eggs upto a week past their date, though they're better fresh. I'm more cautious about cooked meat and dairy foods - more chance of ending up with food poisoning. I avoid raw meat - don't like handling it anyway.

My dad cuts mould off cheese

[me283]

I'm of the school of thought that a lot of the time the dates are merely a ruse to make people buy more stuff. Sure, as the previous posters said, some foods you have to be very careful with (as a recent bout of food poisoning taught me!), but that can't realistically apply to a tin of beans for example? And I often wondered how the manufacturer can tell you to the exact day just when a tin of food will be unfit to consume... many months in advance.

Basically, I always think that you can smell if something is not good enough to eat; failing that, the first taste will put you off.

As an aside, I once bought a batch of canned drinks that were out of date. The supplier told me that as a rule of thumb they advised people that most tinned drinks are OK for a good few months after their "use by" date, with Coke being OK for up to a year after. That was their opinion though...
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I am often reminded of the two strange examples:

Croutons - how can you have a "best before" date on something which is essentially stale bread?!

Bottled water - they tell you it's been running through the earth for thousands of years... but once you open the bottle it's only good for 5 days!!

[marky]

as roy previously tried to post sell by dates are totally different and are a good way to rotate stock, that is why all the old stock is on top
as for use bye dates ive had bread go mouldy before the date and steak as fresh as can be 4 days after the date
but i tend to buy the freshest from the bottom of the pile because i'm lazy and dont like going shopping often

ps.i once got a tinned pie and the use by date was 2107
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and achohol free beer starts to get alchohol in it

[Ramrod]

I never worry about dates on food, even with meat- I tend to go by the smell. The only time I am suspicious of meat is with ASDA chicken, I've known that to be rotting even before it's use by date!

[Martin]

When i go shopping i'm the one that is ussually rummaging through the shelf for the best sell by date! Supermarkets should rotate stock so buying something nearly out of date show's someone is not doing there job properly!!

[marky]

Originally Posted by Martin

When i go shopping i'm the one that is ussually rummaging through the shelf for the best sell by date! Supermarkets should rotate stock so buying something nearly out of date show's someone is not doing there job properly!!

thats people like me digging to the bottom and mixing everything up trying to get the freshest

[Angua]

The Tescos up by Ma-in-law has blood in the bottom of the meat display cabinets on a regular basis (or did) .

I often get "last day" stuff and bung it in the freezer as soon as I get home, cold meats I do steer clear of though! A lot of items will have cook from frozen instructions anyway.

Further thoughts, if they hang beef for 3 weeks more (for better flavour) does the bright pink beef have such a short shelf life?

[Jules]

I am very funny about useinf stuff by its used by date and will often throw stuff away rather than risk it. But there again I have a dodgy tummy and it doesn't take much to upset it

[Angua]

Originally Posted by Jules

I am very funny about useinf stuff by its used by date and will often throw stuff away rather than risk it. But there again I have a dodgy tummy and it doesn't take much to upset it

Poor Jules.

And that brings me on to "fresh" food! I have often wondered why (in order to stop them going mouldy) I have to keep carrotts in the fridge? Also why is it tomatoes are better for you if they are not refridgerated, but you are told to refridgerate them at home?

Best fresh stuff I get is from the local farmers market you at least know it has only been picked within the last day or so.

[Jules]

When you buy eggs from the supermarket the box always tells you to refrigerate them so why doesn't the supermarket?

[Angua]

Originally Posted by Jules

When you buy eggs from the supermarket the box always tells you to refrigerate them so why doesn't the supermarket?

Apparently eggs do not benefit from being taken in and out of cold conditions. hence why you refridgerate at home. Also eggs are stacked in the warehouse small at the bottom to extra large at the top (the smaller the hens egg the stronger the shell).