expiration date: today! would you still use it?

food - Being conscious about expiration dates.
@p3ks626 (6538)
Philippines
May 28, 2010 8:36pm CST
I was looking at some stocked food in my cupboard this morning and one of the packages says, expiration date is today. But I was thinking that its okay to use it since the item is not something that bacteria or harmful organisms would thrive. I also thought that packaging sometimes says expires on that date but there's like an allowance of one month or two so that means it still usable. What do you think? Do you think its okay to use it or maybe I should just discard it?
11 people like this
30 responses
@Aurone (4755)
• United States
29 May 10
If it is a shelf stable food, like dried foods or canned foods, pasta, canned veggies and the like I would still use it. I don't thin the dried foods really go bad and canned veggies are good unless the seal is broken or the canned is bugling at the top. Companies are required to put some expiration date on food even if there is not one. Perishable foods like milk, eggs and the like I would not use past the expiration date.
1 person likes this
@p3ks626 (6538)
• Philippines
31 May 10
I also observed that even if expiration dates in some dairy products are label during a certain date, they already taste different even days before the said expiration date so I dont use them anymore.
@JoyfulOne (6232)
• United States
29 May 10
Most expiration dates are set earlier than their actual expiration. Most foods are ok to use, but some, of course, are not. I wouldn't use eggs that are past their expiration date,nor would I use meat that's past it's date. I've used milk that's been almost a week over and still tasted fine (and nobody ever got sick because it was pasteurized to begin with.) Some foods are good even a month after it's expiry date. One thing I don't use, ever, that's past the date is foods made with wheat because there's a chance that if it's spoiled it might have ergot, which you can get really sick from. If something has today's expiration date on it, I would use it within a day or two.
1 person likes this
@p3ks626 (6538)
• Philippines
31 May 10
When it comes to eggs, I really dont believe they have an expiration date because there's what they call century egg and it lasted for 100 years and its still edible. Milk is also fine but sometimes we also need to take precautions. I hope all manufacturers would would put expiration dates earlier than their actual expiration. I think that would be more convenient.
• India
29 May 10
it is more important on the food items. the food items like biscuits are fine , but the items like milk is not good for health. if it is curd no problem in it but not buttermilk similarly it depends on food to food , but the quality of food would have depreciated a lot. there are lot of people in this world they dont get because of non stock of the item and brand required. because more number of people buy and stock a quantity by which the material just doesn't get empty even when crosses the expiry date and the thing here it happens is nor the required person uses it nor the person who bought, this may not be on your case but many where in the world happens
1 person likes this
@p3ks626 (6538)
• Philippines
29 May 10
I just have some noodles so I guess they're fine. I think its good to eat it. I dont have to worry about having a stomachache later on. I dont wanna have that.
@schulzie (4061)
• United States
29 May 10
I think it depends on what kind of food it is that you're talking about. I mean at least as far as using it a month or two from now. But if you were to use this item you're talking about I would think today or tomorrow would be just fine. Well anyways, good luck in whatever you decide! Have a great day and happy myLotting!!!
@magrylouyu (1627)
• United States
29 May 10
The expiration date is basicly a guide line. For stores once a product has come to the expiration date then they take it off the shelf to discard it. It is usually good for another month or so. For me, I'm an extreamly picky person. For some items it can be a day or 2 before that date and I toss it. If something has been open too long I toss it. I would have to say that the day of is no big deal and I would still use it.
1 person likes this
29 May 10
yeah, it's totally fine as long as it's not something like milk or that would be disgusting. but around 3 days out of date food like crisps, chocolate and other general food is completely fine they even sell a day out of date food for half price at supermarkets they couldn't do that if it was harmful. ive ate loads of stuff out of date by a day before and its fine, its only an estimated expiry date on the safe side but a few days after that it is still edible
@p3ks626 (6538)
• Philippines
29 May 10
Yeah! I think its quite obvious when milk is already expired because the smell, color and texture changes. I am careful when it comes to milk because bacteria would easily grow in it. I dont wanna end up having a stomachache.
@nixxi76 (3191)
• Canada
29 May 10
Any food that is expired in this house, is thrown out. Usually it says best before that date so it's going in the garbage when it expires. I'm too freaked out about expired food and how it can make my family sick. Take care
@p3ks626 (6538)
• Philippines
31 May 10
That's the main concern why we always have to be careful with expired food because even if for a while we will think that its not going to be harmful, there is still a possibility that it will be. To be safe, you can throw it or it will also depend on your own discretion.
@rosey19 (951)
• Philippines
29 May 10
i think it can be use because it is still in the specified date of expiration and usually it has an allowance days for up to one month unless it has an annoying smell and bad taste.
@p3ks626 (6538)
• Philippines
31 May 10
We can always tell for ourselves if something is still good or not. We can always make use of our senses. WE just need to be sure that our senses are not gonna fool us or something. lol
@esjosh (912)
• India
29 May 10
Will not use it!!!!
@p3ks626 (6538)
• Philippines
31 May 10
I think it all depends on us. If we are not going to use it then we free ourselves of getting some illness later on. Using expired materials is really a risk.
• India
15 Apr 13
Thanks for this discussion, better to discard. If it is food item i check date of manufacture and date of expiry, they don't call it date of expiry but 'best before'; if it is medicine specially antibiotics; expiry date is of great important, for shoes, wallets i don't bother.
• Philippines
29 May 10
i cant use it because it is expired may be it has a cause to your body. and it has many bacteria to this food. be careful to all of the foods that expired today. always take care my friend.
@p3ks626 (6538)
• Philippines
31 May 10
Thanks for the reminder! I think its always better to be careful and cautious about everything. We cant trust these products anymore. You take care too.
@juggerogre (1653)
• Philippines
29 May 10
I think its still okay as long as there's still no molds in them or any organisms that should not be there. Also someone I know that works in a chocolate factory told me that the real expiration date is 1 or 2 months after the date written in the package.
@p3ks626 (6538)
• Philippines
31 May 10
I hate the molds and organisms that are not suppose to be there. I think we can tell for ourselves is something is still good or if something is about to get spoiled.
• Indonesia
29 May 10
i will discard cause i don't wanna to take a risk for stomach ache, i don't know if the food is still usable or not, for me health is important than money
@p3ks626 (6538)
• Philippines
31 May 10
As they always said, its better to take some precautions rather take the risk. I hate it when I get a stomachache. You are right about health is more important than money.
• Indonesia
29 May 10
It's okay to eat it. But still you got to smell it first before taking a bite. Better carefull than sorry.
@p3ks626 (6538)
• Philippines
31 May 10
As they said, better prevent than cure. Sometimes I think its okay to consume food items that already says "expired" because if you come to think about it, its a waste of money if you discard it. But if you get sick for eating something expired, then you're going to spend more.
@cyberfluf (4996)
• Netherlands
29 May 10
I agree it depends on the type of product you are using. Certain foods are more prone to attract bacteria or turn bad. Also, I've heard that there is a difference between an actual experition date and a 'best before' date. If it says best before it means it's not neccesairly bad right after this date, but for the best taste it's better to use it before this date. For example chocolate is something that stays well for a long period after the experation date.
@bird123 (10632)
• United States
29 May 10
Isn't the expired date the date after which it can not be sold in the supermarket. It is supposed to be good for 7 days after that. I throw it out after it expires. Not that it might not still be good but food poisoning is no fun.
@climber7565 (2579)
• United States
30 May 10
You are correct to wonder about it. Most the time some items tend to have maybe a couple of more days before they really go bad. So depending on what it is, it may be still good to use, but not to exaggerate an take that to be good for longer then a few days, maybe just 2 more or 3 past expiration date.
• United States
29 May 10
im sure its fine, i think those dates are mostly for the grocery stores so they have to sell by that date...if it was meat or dairy, it may be different.
@misterMR (796)
• Philippines
27 Apr 11
Every time when we have canned foods, my parents would decide most of it. However, we can only apply a maximum of 4 to 5 days after the expiration date. We do not intend to go any further than that because the food would no longer be good enough to eat and may cause health problems to us. Sometimes though, we discard it because it is no good at all. Canned or packed foods are not really the healthy type of food you know. I really prefer fresh food than relying on canned food, even though my breakfast is always from the canned goods.
@Kalyni2011 (3496)
• India
8 Apr 11
Just today, no problem friend, but if it is say a month, then one should not. We don't buy much things from mall/super market, my city has shops with home-delivery facilities for potential buyers, they give discount of say 5 to 10%, we place order over phone with the grocery shop and medicine shop, the stuff is deliverd at home, but i check the expiry date of medicices, edibles lol Some times things with expiry date gone comes in.. Thanks for sharing Cheers. God bless you, have a nice day ahead. Kalyani ‘Namastey’. .