Best before ?

[TheOtherHalf]

On our local radio it said that there are rumours to scrap the Best Before date on food as so much is being wasted because of it. The average family waste around £700 of food. What do you feel about this.
Im probably too fussy about BB dates, probably because of my Food Hygiene whilst training for catering but even so I dont throw away much food as I try to only buy what I need as usually try to make something out of nothing if you know what I mean.

[mike11111]

Abolish refrigerators and freezers. No problem then - simples!

[TonyV]

best before and not edible are two different things

[whiskeryron]

I appreciate everything that has been said on here & like all of you A/Bers I am appalled at the amount of good food that is wasted daily,is there no way that this surplus food could be distributed to the needy ? surely the homeless & sometimes hungry people could go & collect it from special outlets, I am sure it would be possible to make them aware that any food given away like this would be eaten at their own risk, then there would be no come back to the distributers.Ron.

[mike11111]

It often is Ron, but goes largely unnoticed. near me there is an institution called the People's Kitchen, staffed entirely by volunteers, which caters for the homeless. Stores like M&S and Greggs give away unsold produce at the end of the day, entirely edible. The sad thing is that I have heard that some institutions will not participate for fear of legal action should anyone fall ill as a result.

[DTCwordfan]

I think it is a shame that a lot of food gets trashed by the supermarkets etc when it could still be used. There have been a couple of instances recently of folk being done for theft from taking from the bins of Tescos (well they were one).

We used to have a bakery chain in the town who would heavily discount after 4pm to clear their shelves and also allocate bread etc for the elderly homes - that is a far more sensible policy and something that the suupermarkets could take on as part of their PR.

[ummmm]

Boxy - I tend to shop daily. I don't ever get tempted to buy anything I don't 'need'. I'm in there...get what I need...outta there.

[sp1814]

People should trust their instincts - basically I will eat anything past its sell by/use by date, as long as its not giving off a whiff.

Once it starts to smell, you know that bacteria is developing.

I've even been known to make toast with stale bread...not because I'm thrify, but because I can't be bothered going down the shops.

[ummmm]

I'll happily make toast with stale bread.....I need stale bread for breadcrumbs anyway...

[boxtops]

I can't shop daily, my work day is long enough already.

[DTCwordfan]

well done sp, eating stale bread and especially if it is going mouldy is very good for you, particularly if you are feeling unwell. Nothing like a dose of penecillium and it would save a trip to the chemists as well.

[boxtops]

I just pick the blue bits off, and put them in the compost bin.

[seadogg]

We learned to be scrupulous on timing for Meals on Wheels deliveries but at home we rely on our noses and the fact that a pal who is a chemist working for NHS assured us that the BBD was a con to make people buy more.

[tiggerblue10]

I eat loads of things well past their "best before" date. As long as it doesn't smell or taste funny then I'll eat it.

[kinell]

i sat up last night to watch my yogurt as the time turned midight.....

guess what?? nothing happened....

who would have thought that 'use by' dates were just a guide?

[gingejbee]

From the above answers, I see that few people know the significant difference between "use by" and "best before" and the kind of food each is used on.