Is It Really Expired?
When it comes to expiration dates on food, I don’t mess around. If it’s one day past the expiration date, I throw it out. Who am I kidding? If it’s on the exact expiration date, I pitch it. I really hate throwing up so I don’t take any chances.
Yes, I realize it’s probably fine to consume a food product on its date of expiration, and probably even a day or two after. And I realize that the “sell by” and “best by” date is different than the expiration date, but I treat them all equally. I’m so fanatical about expiration dates that I once threw out nearly half the food in my parents’ refrigerator while visiting a few years ago. Yeah, sort of like the aunt in the Geico commercial. My parents think I need help. They might be right.
If the food in your fridge hits the expiration date, do you really have to throw it away immediately? Not necessarily, according to Delish. You could still be able to enjoy it. They say the best thing to do is to determine whether the date on the package is the expiration date or the “sell by” date.
Delish adds that if an expiration date has passed and it has only been a day or so, you can probably eat the food, but eat it quickly. If you’re unsure if your food is still good, you can visit the USDA website for guidance. They also suggest to look for visible signs of spoilage. While you’re at it, give it the sniff test, too. That ground meat could be salmonella in beef’s clothing. You can read more here.
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