Do you use foods after they are expired?

[figure]

Have you ever used food/s beyond its expiration date? I've been using a bottle of Heinz ketchup that's expired since 2005. It's one of those huge bottle from Costco and it's taking forever to finish. The taste and flavour is perfect like when it was just opened.

[tiggerblue10]

I've got loads of herb and spice pots which take forever to get through. Long life skimmed milk last for a while as well.

[figure]

Tigger, I plant my own herbs and when they become too much I put them in a food dehydrator overnight. I always have loads dried herbs.

Also, I have hot sauce which I made stored in the refrigerator going back at least five years.

[tiggerblue10]

I've tried so many times to grow my own herbs but I can never seem to get it right. Lol. My aunt and uncle have a bayleaf tree so I get them on tap.

[pastafreak]

Well...if it has not killed you by now,then it is safe to say it is ok! It probably has so much vinegar in it,it CAN'T go off!

[figure]

You right about that Pasta - vinegar and sugar!

[grasscarp]

I eat yogurts well past the sell by date. If things smell ok they usually are.

[filthiestfis]

Ive still got bayleaf from Morrisons I bought in 2001. I guess that the aroma is going so I use 2 of them instead of one now.

[Jillius]

I keep my tomato ketchup in the fridge but it still says eat within 8 weeks of opening. I will eat stuff that is a few days past it's expiry date but not eggs or stuff with eggs in. If I'm in doubt I just give it to hubby :-)

[spudqueen]

I eat loads of things that are past their best before date, and even use before date (there is a difference)..I'll happily eat yoghurts that are 3 days out of date, as grasscarp says, if they smell alright they probably are!

[figure]

Spudqueen and Grasscarp - even tho the yogurt smells good you should look to see if mold starts growing on the covers and at the sides of the containers. Of course you know you should then discard the yogurt.

[Gromit]

Most animals I eat I wait until they have expired. After the Turkey and stuffing incident (Xmas 97), I decided it wasn't worth the kafuffle.

On the downside, I now do not get much exercise in my food preparation.

[LoftyLottie]

The use by dates on food are very useful as a guide, but let's face it they usually last a while longer as the manufacturer's need to cover their backs in case of food poisoning, etc.

It's not difficult to tell if fresh food is still OK to eat.

[LoftyLottie]

PS Huge bottles of Heinz ketchup seem to be used up very quickly in our household! I love Heinz ketchup (only Heinz though)!!!!

[Jillius]

Definately with you on that loftylottie!
When I was little my mum would get really cheap and nasty tomato sauce from the cash and carry and put it into a Heinz bottle to try and fool us ! The other stuff was really strong and watery, but she still insisted it was Heinz !

[figure]

Me too LoftyLottie! I put ketchup on most of my savoury foods, even mash lol.