primitives discuss buying expired-date food

[franksolich]

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1018196502

Oh my.

KurtNYC (10,965 posts)  Thu Sep 20, 2012, 08:58 AM

Buying cases of food at or after the expiration date -- is this common?

I was at non-profit's meeting last night and one of the researchers said that the biggest trends in grocery were dollar stores taking share from WalMart and people buying cases of food (canned I assume) right at or after the expiration date.

I had never heard of the second one. Anyone seen this?

HopeHoops (40,712 posts)  Thu Sep 20, 2012, 09:42 AM

1. Yes. It isn't uncommon, but use caution.

There are different "expiration" dates. "Best by" gives you a lot of flexibility. "Use by", not much. "Expires", very little. Most non-refrigerated foods are still good well after the printed date if they've been stored properly. With refrigerated and frozen foods, pay close attention.

We've got a great place like that called Amelia's. Most of the stuff is close to but not past expiration, but they have signs up explaining pretty much what I just did. Even in regular grocery stores I still always look for the date. Sometimes simply because I know what I'm getting needs a long shelf life as opposed to the items we chew through (literally).

pipi_k (14,443 posts)  Thu Sep 20, 2012, 12:38 PM

6. Really good explanation that sums it up quite nicely, IMO.

The phrases attached to the dates really do mean different things.

Mr Pipi makes me crazy.

He'll keep medications long past their expiration date, yet with milk, it only has to be one day before its "sell by" date and he'll refuse to use it, claiming that it smells funny.

I have poured the milk out into a glass to show him that he's likely smelling the old milk on the spout of the bottle that's been exposed to the air, but he won't budge.

What the hell. I use it. if it smells crappy in a glass or curdles, then I'll throw it out.

CBGLuthier (7,976 posts)  Thu Sep 20, 2012, 10:35 AM

2. I shop at dollar stores but I refuse to eat anything from them whether it is candy or canned food I would never eat anything from a dollar store.

AnneD (13,997 posts)  Thu Sep 20, 2012, 12:43 PM

7. Yes...

I rotate my canned goods and sometimes I hit the expiration date or later (as much as 2 years). I use caution. A bulging can is never good. If the can hisses too much when I open them I toss them (microbes produce gas as a by product of metabolism, etc). Some types of canned veggies are more prone to botulism than other so be aware (base rather than acidic-green beans more than tomato sauce)