Foods You Can Eat Well After Their “Best Before” Dates
Some people are very rigid about best before dates and they won't eat anything that's a day out of date. Other people take best before dates as mere suggestions. According to Paul VanLandingham, member of Food and Beverage Management of Johnson & Wales University, "unlike expiry dates, best before dates just let you know how long a food item will remain at its highest quality.
Keep reading to find out which food items you can eat long after they "expire," and which items you should toss out as soon as they're out of date.
Dried Beans Last Forever
Once beans are totally dried out, they'll never really go bad. They will get drier if they're left out for too long though, which just means that you'll need to soak them for longer before cooking them. Beans are a great food item to stock up on because you can keep them in your pantry for long periods of time.
Canned beans can last a year past their expiration date, but dried beans can last even longer. Cooked beans should be used within five days.
Raw Fish Can Last A Long Time In The Freezer
In general, fresh fish lasts longer in the fridge and the freezer than other types of seafood like shellfish and other mollusks. Raw cod, salmon, and halibut stay fresh one to two days in the fridge and six to nine months in the freezer. Smoked fish can stay in the fridge for five to seven days, but only three to six months in the freezer.
You really don't want to be eating rotten fish, though, so if it smells funky, it's best not to eat it.
Eggs Last Well Beyond Their Best Before Dates
You definitely don't want to be eating rotten eggs, but it may surprise you to learn that you can actually eat eggs well past their sell-by date. Eggs last two to three weeks longer than the date on the carton suggests. This is because best before dates on eggs only tell you when the eggs are at their peak freshness.
You can tell if an egg has gone bad by placing it into a bowl of water. If it floats, air bubbles have started forming beneath the shell due to fermentation. You don't want to eat an egg that floats.
Coffee Creamers Are Full Of Preservatives
Coffee creamers aren't made of cream. At least, they aren't entirely made of cream. Most creamers are full of preservatives that allow them to stay fresh and edible for weeks after their best before date. You can feel safe throwing away your creamer after it's been open for about three and a half weeks.
Non-dairy creamer can last up to two years if they are stored at room temperature. Once you open it, store it in the fridge for one to two weeks.
Cooking Oils Last Years
While there are several different types of cooking oil, they all have similar shelf lives. The USDA agrees that most cooking oils are safe to use for up to one year after opening. Coconut oil will remain fresh for up to three years.
Storing cooking oils in a cool, dark pantry is the best way to keep them fresh. Since oxidation causes the oil to decay, tightly seal the lid after each use. If the oil smells or tastes rancid, it's gone bad. Some oils also grow dark and flavorless once they've expired.
Vegetables Last Longer Than You Think
Not all vegetables come with an expiration date, and these usually last around one to two weeks in the fridge. Those that have a date — like carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, celery, and spinach — often last longer than their date suggests.
Once vegetables go bad, they develop a slimy texture, brown spots, and rotten smell. Many don't reach this point until a couple of weeks beyond the "best by" date. However, prepackaged greens often go bad around their expiration date since they're chopped.
Yogurt Is Still Good Past Its Best Before Date
Yogurt doesn't go bad as quickly as other dairy products do. Both Greek yogurt and low-fat yogurt last around one to two weeks in the fridge, regardless of the printed date. If you freeze yogurt, you can eat it for up to two months later, according to Eat By Date.
Drinkable yogurts and yogurt with fruit don't last as long. Both will stay fresh for up to two weeks. If your yogurt produces extra liquid, develops mold, or smells sour, throw it out.
Dry Pasta Can Last For Years
Dried pasta is an excellent pantry food because it can stay fresh for up to two years after its best before date. If you've already opened the package of pasta, you should consume the pasta within one year.
Fresh pasta is absolutely delicious, but because it contains fresh eggs, it will only last a few days in the fridge. Cooked pasta, whether it was made from fresh or dry noodles, should last up to a week in the fridge.
Condiments Can Last Years
While most labels recommend refrigerating condiments, you can keep them in the pantry, according to the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service. Similarly, the expiration date on these condiments is only quality-based. How long they stay fresh depends on the condiment.
Mustard can stay fresh up to one year after opening, while relish remains good for nine months. Ketchup and chili sauces remain edible for six months after opening. You can safely eat commercial mayonnaise and horseradish within two to three months after opening.
Honey Never Goes Bad
Honey is one of the few food items that never really goes bad. Sometimes the sugars in honey will crystallize, but if that happens, you can just place the container of honey in some hot water. The crystals should dissolve and the honey will be as good as new. Honey is a natural preservative and it can even help some other foods last longer when it's added as an ingredient.
The best before date on your jar of honey lets you know when the honey will be in its prime, but it's safe to eat long after that date.
Be Careful About Storing Butter
Butter can last well beyond its best before date in your fridge if it's stored properly. Definitely don't leave your butter out on the counter because the milkfat in the butter will begin to decay.
Butter can last over a month past its best before date if its kept wrapped up in the fridge. It can last for up to nine months if it's well wrapped in the freezer. Throw away your butter if it becomes too soft or if it develops mold.
Meat Can Last For Years In A Freezer
You have to consume meat and poultry quickly if you're planning on storing it in your fridge prior to cooking, but if you keep the meat in your freezer, it can last up to a year. Ground meat can last up to three or four months in a cold freezer environment.
"Food poisoning bacteria does not grow in the freezer," reports the US Department of Agriculture, "so no matter how long the food is frozen, it is safe to eat. Foods that have been in the freezer for months may be dry, or may not taste as good, but they will be safe to eat."
Spices Don't Last Forever
Spices seem to just stick around at the back of your pantry. When are you ever going to finish a whole container of ground clove? In reality, ground, packaged spices will go stale after a few years. Most of them can last for three years beyond their sell-by dates, but after that, it's time to get some new spices. The only species that really can last (almost) forever are salt and vanilla extract.
If a spice has gone dull, you can liven it up a bit by toasting it in a hot skillet.
Smell Your Cheeses
Because cheese is made through molding, it often lasts beyond its expiration date. The USDA claims that soft cheese lasts one to two weeks in the fridge, while hard cheese can be consumed up to six months in the fridge unopened. If you've opened the package, it'll last three to four weeks.
In general, you can tell when your cheese goes bad through smell. If some areas have molded, you can cut them off and eat the rest safely. Some mold colors, such as orange, blue, and green, are not edible.
White Film On Chocolate Isn't A Death Sentence
According to Eat By Date, chocolate lasts for months beyond the printed date. In the pantry, chocolate chips and bars last two to four months, and they last for six to eight months in the fridge. Truffles and Belgian chocolate stay fresh for one to two months after the expiration date.
If you see a white film on your chocolate, don't fret. That's called "chocolate bloom," when the cocoa butter melts and re-solidifies. You can still eat it. If you see white dots on the edge of your chocolate, that means it's getting old. However, you can still use the bar in cooking.
One Year For Frozen Produce
Most of us tend to toss food into the freezer and forget about it. But some frozen treats, such as fruit and vegetables, will go bad within the year. Regardless of its "best by" date, frozen fruit will last for six to nine months. Frozen vegetables remain safe to eat for eight to ten months.
To tell if frozen produce has gone bad, wash off the ice crystals. If the fruit or vegetable maintains its color and texture, then it's safe to eat. Spoiled frozen produce can also shrivel or lose color.
Salsa Stays Delicious For Weeks
Have you ever found a bottle of salsa shoved way to the back of the fridge and wondered what to do with it? Maybe you're preparing Mexican food, or maybe you're throwing a party and just need some dip. In any event, relying on the best-by date isn't always best.
When it comes to salsa, you can safely eat it up to two weeks after the best-by date. However, the greatest sign is the appearance. If it seems to have a film on it, throw it out.
Milk Lasts Longer Than You Think
Milk's life span depends on its fat content. In general, most dairy milk can last five days beyond its printed date. Non-fat milk stays fresh up to ten days, while whole milk can last up to a week. If the milk looks discolored or smells rotten, it's spoiled.
While non-dairy milks keep up to a month if they're unopened, they usually last around a week after opening, according to FoodSafety.gov. Spoiled non-dairy milks will taste sour and have a thicker texture than fresh milk.
Keep Stirring Your Nut Butters
Whether or not it's refrigerated, nut butter can last up to a year unopened. Commercial peanut butters will last longer; you can eat some peanut butter up to two years after buying it. Natural butter, such as natural peanut, almond, or cashew butter, last up to three months after opening.
You'll know when your nut butter goes bad when it tastes rancid. To keep them fresh, store your nut butters in a cool area such as a shaded pantry or fridge. Contrary to other butter types, Nutella only stays fresh around two to three months after the printed date.
Unopened Cereal Can Last For Months
If you keep your cereal box unopened, it'll last for six to twelve months on the shelf, according to FoodSafety.gov. After you open it, you can keep it for two to three months. Breakfast cereals don't go bad in the same way that fresh foods do.
"There is not that much of a quality issue," Emily Broad Leib, director of Harvard Food Law & Policy Clinic, told TIME. "If you leave your cereal box open, it can get stale, but you are not going to get sick from it."
Contrary To Popular Belief, Alcohol Doesn't Actually Last Forever
Even though alcohol does have a very long shelf life, it doesn't last forever. Alcohol that's packaged in clear glass bottles is more prone to spoiling. Keep your alcohol in a cool, dry place if you want it to stay fresher for longer.
Only hard liquors such as whiskey, tequila, vodka, and brandy, will stay fresh for a long time in a sealed bottle. According to FoodSafety.gov, white and red wines remain fresh for one to two years. Beer only stays good for six to nine months after its expiration date.
Canned Goods Are Shelf Safe
If you store your canned food in a cool, dark location, it will last years beyond it's "best by" date. Cans containing meat, vegetables, or potatoes will are safe to eat two to five years in the pantry. Highly-acidic canned foods (such as pickles, tomato soup, and sauerkraut) last for a year and a half.
If a food can appears rusted, dented, or swollen, it's gone bad. And after you open them, they'll only stay fresh for a couple of days in the fridge. Acidic food remains ripe for a week, while canned meat and vegetables stay fresh for up to four days in the fridge.
Pre-Cooked Frozen Foods Don't Last As Long As You'd Think
How long food lasts in the freezer depends on what it is and whether it's cooked. Most pre-made meals are already cooked, so they'll go stale within three months. However, frozen food never produces a health risk as long as it's kept frozen. After a while, the flavor will disappear.
Frozen dairy products like ice cream usually last two to four months. Grain-based dishes, like pancakes and waffles, stay fresh for two months. Most TV dinners will remain tasty for up to three months in the freezer.
Keep The Chips Closed
Unopened, chips can last for months. Once the chips are opened, they still can last for a very long time. The issue is whether or not they are kept in a truly air-tight environment. Chips that haven't been opened are less likely to be exposed to oxygen, which enables bacteria to grow.
However, since chips are often doused in salt, the likelihood of them developing a substance that can harm you is slim. The real issue is simply quality. They'll eventually get stale.
Bread Goes Stale Quickly
Bread is pretty much good to eat so long as it doesn't have any mold on it. For this reason, many people will put their bread in the refrigerator to extend the shelf life. While this can be a great temporary fix, it will actually cause the bread to become undesirable long before it goes bad naturally.
That's because the refrigerator dries out the bread. So if you want to not only keep the bread safe to eat, but also tasty, just throw it in the freezer and defrost it in a toaster oven when ready.
Pick Out The Good Leaves
Lettuce can be tricky. Especially if you aren't using your lettuce or salad mix every single day, it can seem like it turned on you overnight. However, the telling sign that the leaves have gone bad isn't just that they've wilted.
When it comes to things like spinach and arugula in particular, they'll become really slimy when it's time to toss them. Depending on the size of the salad mix, you can sometimes pick out safe bits and toss the rest. Ultimately, just stay clear of any dark, blackish gunk.
Keep Your Cookies Fresh
When it comes to cookies, it really comes down to the oil. While sugar acts like a natural preservative, the oil can make the cookies smell rancid when they've gone bad. If they're the really soft cookies that have been made at home, you'll notice they've gone bad when they're dried out and don't taste like grandma's anymore.
However, for the store-bought cookies that are chock-full of preservative, the same rule applies to them as to chips. When they taste stale, particularly if they've been open for a while, they won't harm you. But the taste also might not be worth the calories.
Crackers Can Last A Long Time
Opened, crackers can maintain their best quality more up to two months. The most important factor is storing them properly. Tightly sealing the crackers and placing them in a cool, dry area is the most important thing.
Crackers will likely lose their quality before they become dangerous to consume. As a general rule, if the color or smell seems off, it's best to throw them out. Once something appears to be growing, definitely toss it.
Pickling Is A Great Way To Preserve Food
Before the days of electricity, and thus refrigeration, people relied on salt to keep things fresh. For this same reason, pickled foods later longer than the average fridge item. This is because they have two strategies working together-- salt and cold-- to prevent bacteria from growing.
You can bank on your pickled foods lasting a solid six months after they're opened in the fridge. However, this can be longer depending on the food. Pickles can last up to two years beyond their best-by date.
The Rules Of Deli Meat
Lunchmeat, also known as deli meat, is one of the more obvious foods to be able to deem edible or not, so long as you know the rules. Unopened, lunch meat can last up to ten days past the best-by date. However, once it's been opened, it's best to aim to consume it within five days.
If it's been a week since you touched your opened package of deli meat, don't fret. The meat will become covered in film, making it extremely slimy to the touch, if it's gone bad.
Oats Last A Long Time
Studies have shown that oats can last decades without becoming harmful. The dry grains should be stored in an airtight, dry place. However, unlike chips or cookies, they'll maintain their quality for years. Usually, once the package is opened, oats will still maintain their best quality for about two years.
If you are especially perceptive, you'll notice a slight increase in volume once the oats have gone bad. Otherwise, a simple tactic is to just smell them. The best oats have a very subtle smell.
Your Food Shouldn't Smell Like Play-Doh
Depending on the kind of flour, it will last well beyond its best-by date. All-purpose flour will last up to eight months past its best-by date so long as it is stored properly, preferably in the fridge once opened. However, some prefer the whole wheat flour since it is higher in fiber and other nutrients.
Wheat flour lasts about four to six months past its best-by date. The best way to tell if it's bad is if it has developed a sour, rubbery smell that might somehow resemble the odor of play-doh.
White Rice Lasts Decades
Dried rice will last long after its best-by date. However, how long that is really depends on the variation of rice. For white rice, it can be used from four to five years after the best by date. However, if it remains in an oxygen-free, airtight environment, white rice is good for up to thirty years.
Minute rice will also last four to five years, and brown or wild rice will last about seven months after the best by date. Once cooked, throw it in the fridge for a week or the freezer for half a year.
Pay Attention To Powdered Milk Containers
In its original container, powdered milk will last up to two years past its expiration date. However, if you keep the powdered milk in a special airtight container, you can stretch it out to ten years past the best by date.
That's because powdered milk, like dried fruit, is dried out for the sake of preservation. It's important to note that the powdered milk should also be kept away from heat and water. Once it is reactivated by water, it is safe to consume for four to five days.
Sugar Never Expires
We've mentioned that sugar is a sort of natural preservative. However, to explain its immortality, we'll need to explain what about sugar is so foolproof. The explanation is really quite basic, as it is explained by Does It Go Bad.
In essence, sugar doesn't contain water. Therefore, when bacteria attempt to grow in sugar, the sugar absorbs all of the bacteria's moisture through osmosis, leaving the bacteria dehydrated and ultimately unable to survive. Therefore, sugar itself never actually expires.
Store Coffee In The Freezer
Unopened ground coffee will last about four months past its best-by date, and still taste terrific when stored in the pantry. However, if you put that stuff into the freezer, it'll last up to two years past the best by date and still taste great. Taste aside, if the coffee is properly stored it shouldn't expire in a way that harms you.
On the flip side, opened ground coffee only lasts two weeks in the pantry. Whole coffee beans will last up to six months on the shelf and nine in the freezer after opening. Unopened, they'll last around two years either way.
Dried Fruit Isn't Rot-Proof
Dried fruit will last about a year after its best-by date. In the freezer, dried fruit can last indefinitely. However, the technique used to dry the fruit can vary. Since you probably don't want to hunt down the manufacturer who made the dried fruit you bought, here are some simple signs that will determine how fresh your dried fruit has remained.
Discoloration, hardness, and lack of taste are all signs that the dried fruit has begun to lose its quality. However, you might prefer this version of the dried fruit, which is completely harmless. Once a rancid smell develops, it's time to throw it out.
Make Sure Your Popcorn Pops
Popcorn is actually full of moisture down in those little kernels. As the kernels heat up, the moisture inside builds pressure that eventually forces them to pop open. Once a kernel's internal moisture has dried up, it is old and will not pop. That is the sign that the popcorn is no longer good.
However, popcorn made for the microwave is slightly different. Because it is made with oils, the oils will likely expire before the kernels do. If a rancid smell develops it's because the oils have gone bad and the package needs to be thrown out. This usually occurs about seven months past the box's printed date.
Vinegar Lasts A Lifetime
The Vinegar Institute has confirmed that vinegar will last indefinitely. However, due to added ingredients, the taste will change and may become undesirable after five to ten years. All kinds of vinegar are high in acidity, which makes them spoil-proof.
How long the quality of the vinegar lasts depends on the kind, or what it was made from. Harmless aesthetic changes like cloudiness or sediments may occur with time as well. One plus of vinegar is that it can be used for other purposes, such as cleaning, once the taste becomes undesirable.
Hot Chocolate Powder Can Stay Fresh For Years
Hot chocolate is a winter-time must, but if it's been untouched since last January, you may be wondering if it's still safe. Unopened cocoa powder that's been properly stored can last up to three years past its best by date. So long as you don't double-dip with a milky spoon, it is unlikely that cocoa will develop mold.
When cocoa powder is made, the fat is removed which prevents it from going rancid. However, manufacturers are mere humans, and sometimes a slight amount of fat can remain. In this case, the powder would be able to go rancid. Therefore, is it best to check and be sure that the cocoa still smells like home sweet home.
