My mom spent years battling stage II breast cancer, three of my aunts died from the insidious disease, and I am long overdue for a mammogram.
I keep ignoring my doctor’s suggestion to make an appointment and potentially save my own life, yet I refuse to eat unopened yogurt that’s been in my refrigerator even one day past its expiration date for fear of getting sick.
How’s that for irony?
And by irony I mean stupidity.
My senseless thinking hurts my budget as much as it does my head. What’s more, I take little solace in the fact that studies show I am far from alone when it comes to wasting perfectly edible food.
Research shows that parents are the number one culprits when it comes to squandering food items that could still be consumed despite what’s printed as the expiration date. According to the USDA, expiration dates are more of a suggestion than a requisition.
Moms and dads around the world could save a ton of money if they understood different expiration terminology. For example, a “Sell-By” date suggests you purchase the product before the printed date, but it doesn’t mean that the product has spoiled. Meanwhile, a “Best if Used By” date suggests consuming a particular product before the printed date for optimal quality.
As long as you take care to properly store a food item, experts say you can probably consume it well beyond the printed date. For years, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has maintained that eggs are “perfectly safe to eat three to five weeks of the date you purchase them,” regardless of the carton’s sell-by date. Likewise, if you store meat and poultry at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below, experts say you should be able to consume it beyond the expiration date, as most “use-by dates” relate to food quality, not safety.
Of course, this doesn’t mean you should completely ignore the dates stamped on specific food items. Rather, before you toss out hundreds of dollars’ worth of food, examine the items. Look at them carefully, observe the color and texture. Also, give them the smell test; if they have a nasty odor, don’t eat them.
The exception to the expiration date rule is infant formula. The USDA has strict rules regarding the popular baby item. The federal government mandates that manufacturers of infant formula place a “use-by date” on formula, as the nutrient quality of formula decreases over time. Moreover, expired infant formula can easily clump, making it very difficult for babies to suck the milk through a bottle’s nipple. Over time, a baby could suffer by drinking expired formula, as he wouldn’t be getting enough of certain vitamins or minerals.
How often do you pitch unopened food because you fear consuming it past its expiration date?