Close to Expiring, Do you purchase the items?
By Michelle
@infatuatedbby (94909)
United States
January 7, 2016 12:27pm CST
Yesterday (1/6/16), I went grocery shopping at Whole Foods and one of the items I needed was milk. I typically purchase 1% Milk but the expiration date shows 1/9/16 (that is only 3 days!) whereas the Vitamin D milk expiration shows 1/17/16 but I do not drink Vitamin D and they were out of Fat Free and 2%.
Since the milk was half a gallon, I am sure my boyfriend and I could finish the milk in 3 days, but the cost is the exact same as the others.
When you go grocery shopping - Do you check for the expiration date? Typically items that are almost expiring will go on sale, but in this case milk was not marked down.
Would you purchase an item full price knowing it'd expire in 3 days or less? I ended up going with a different brand and having the expiration date be 1/20/16. 
11 people like this
11 responses
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
7 Jan 16
As I worked in a grocery store for 13 years I always check the expiration date. I will move items aside to get the fresher items. The milk wont' go bad on the day it expires it's just the last day the grocery store can legally sell it. You have several days after that until the milk would actually go bad.
3 people like this
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
7 Jan 16
Yes, I always check expiration dates and typically the ones in the back and more fresher.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45490)
• United States
7 Jan 16
The products usually say, "best if used by...." so it won't kill you....LOL
Grocery stores sell outdated meat every day. I don't think it's illegal, I think it cold immoral to sell meat, that is turning green, to human beings.
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
7 Jan 16
@AbbyGreenhill Yes, Best by won't kill you. But I do prefer the date date is further.
But I do prefer the date date is further.2 people like this
@GardenGerty (169477)
• United States
7 Jan 16
I will buy short dated items if they are reduced.price. If I am buying more milk than I think I will use, I pour it in single serving sizes and freeze it.I like to get the reduced short sale foods and use them immediately.
2 people like this
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
7 Jan 16
That sounds like a great idea. I never thought about freezing milk before! Thank you for your input! 
@AbbyGreenhill (45490)
• United States
8 Jan 16
@paigea A while ago someone suggested I freeze milk since if I buy a pint I only use a 1/2 cup or so. Well, I froze milk and when I went to use it the consistency had changed and my husband said it didn't taste right. I won't bother again.
1 person likes this
@kaka135 (14994)
• Malaysia
14 Jan 16
@infatuatedbby I always remind myself with that too - not to buy too much and waste them. 
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
8 Jan 16
Yes, I always try to find a further expiration date as possible. Or at least one week would be good enough. Though, I think my boyfriend and I could finish - we usually don't. One of our New Year's Resolutions is to try to buy food and not waste any. Don't buy too much, extra.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45490)
• United States
7 Jan 16
If I can finish the product before the expiration date, then maybe, but Milk in this house seldom gets used. I opened a pint the other day and I will wind up trashing it.
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
8 Jan 16
It depends on the item, but I agree ~ it is a maybe.
One of my boyfriend and I's new years resolution together is to finish everything we buy. As we wasted a lot of food the previous years. So we opt for a different brand milk allowing us to finish the entire milk prior to the expiration day. Even though we believe 3 days would just be fine, we did not want to risk it and end up wasting money.
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
8 Jan 16
@AbbyGreenhill Yes, true! But I found myself throwing away too much of the larger sizes so I'll settle with the smaller. It is most costly,but cheaper than buying the larger size and not finish it.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45490)
• United States
8 Jan 16
@infatuatedbby Buying smaller containers sometimes cost more, but if you wind up throwing out the larger sizes, then buying small and finishing is the way to go.
1 person likes this
@lokisdad (4226)
• United States
14 Jan 16
When I go I have a list written in my wife's shorthand. Comparing the price ensures I have the right item. Although she is pretty precise last week I went and she said a gal milk $2.99 1st bot lft colr the whole list was itemized priced & had locations. She rounds it off but she nailed it to a $1 had I messed it up I would've known at the register. She told me you have exactly enough to the nearest dollar if u get exactly what I wrote using the coupons sales &mvp card.
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
14 Jan 16
Wow! You are a great husband for going grocery shopping per your wife's written list / and shorthand! I wish my boyfriend would go grocery shopping like that!
I wish my boyfriend would go grocery shopping like that!1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
15 Jan 16
@lokisdad That is a great point and awesome you both balance things out with each other! I don't grab stuff and throw it in the cart anymore, generally I end up splurging and I now shop when I'm not hungry - buying what is needed is better!
I don't grab stuff and throw it in the cart anymore, generally I end up splurging and I now shop when I'm not hungry - buying what is needed is better!1 person likes this
@lokisdad (4226)
• United States
14 Jan 16
@infatuatedbby we share the work which makes life easier its not something i want to do but it needs to be done lol or i won't eat. It took a long time to get her short hand but the way she does it is so detailed that you really can't mess it up. It took her a long time to train me to be as efficient as her. I used to go and just grab stuff and throw it in the cart not anymore.
1 person likes this
@paigea (36143)
• Canada
7 Jan 16
If I was going to use it right away sure and particularly if it was marked down. I always check the shelf of marked down produce. Bananas can be frozen, mushrooms and red peppers I take and then I go home and immediately make soup. Milk, a litre lasts us a week so no I wouldn't buy mild about to expire.
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
8 Jan 16
Yes, but in this case it wasn't marked down yet. Probably a day prior they would but I just opted for a different brand.
What kind of soup do you generally make with mushrooms and red peppers?
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
8 Jan 16
@paigea Those soups sound delicious!
1 person likes this
@paigea (36143)
• Canada
8 Jan 16
@infatuatedbby if it wasn't marked down I would probably have left it too. You can ask them if they would mark it down when it is close, but that means finding the right person to talk to.
I make roasted red pepper soup. And I make mushroom soup. mmm
1 person likes this
@lokisdad (4226)
• United States
14 Jan 16
When I go I have a list written in my wife's shorthand. Comparing the price ensures I have the right item. Although she is pretty precise last week I went and she said a gal milk $2.99 1st bot lft colr the whole list was itemized priced & had locations. She rounds it off but she nailed it to a $1 had I messed it up I would've known at the register. She told me you have exactly enough to the nearest dollar if u get exactly what I wrote using the coupons sales &mvp card.
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
7 Jan 16
Me too! I always check the expiration date prior to purchasing. In this case, I ended up purchasing a different milk brand.
@1creekgirl (44560)
• United States
9 Jan 16
It depends on what the item is. I don't mind if steaks are almost out of date, but I always buy fresh chicken.
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
10 Jan 16
Yes, definitely depends! Fresh chicken is a must!!
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20363)
• Fairfield, Texas
7 Jan 16
With so much poison in our foods AND milk, it wouldn't surprise me if that container would have been good til 1/31/16 @infatuatedbby . I had a loaf of bread in my refrigerator for 6 months and it was still good. What does that tell you? Companies have to give a mandated expiry date but it doesn't mean the product can't sit on a shelf forever.
1 person likes this
@infatuatedbby (94909)
• United States
8 Jan 16
Yes, definitely! I noticed bread in the fridge especially the freezer will last longer than the expiration date. But I prefer to see the date further than closer.
1 person likes this
