12 Foods You Must Toss After Their Expiration Date
By Tiffany Gagnon of Reader's Digest |
Throw out these foods once the expiration date passes
We've all come across this scenario while organizing the pantry and fridge. We sort through the food and look at the packaging, only to realize the expiration date has come and gone. Yikes! Does that mean you should throw it away immediately, even if it looks okay?
The answer: It depends. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, many foods are okay to eat after their best-by and sell-by dates pass, since those dates reflect food quality, not food safety. Aside from baby formula, the FDA doesn't regulate these dates, meaning they're mainly used to help people determine when food will taste its best. So, as long as the food hasn't spoiled, it should be fine to eat.
However, there are certain foods that require a greater adherence to expiration dates, like meat and certain dairy products. It's also best to toss the other foods on this list once their expiration date passes, unless you want to roll the dice on an extra sick day. And don't forget to read up on how long milk lasts after the sell-by date, if it's safe to eat expired eggs and how long cooked meat lasts in the fridge—important information that helps reduce food waste.
