Do you eat food that is past the 'use by' date?

but eggs can be dodgy even if they aren't rotten and float. older eggs are more likely to give you listeria (or something like that)

Used to work in the food industry, so know my food. For this reason, I rarely obey Use by dates!

just go with my nose and eyes. If it looks and smells ok ill eat it

[maviczap]

Originally Posted by lynw

Yes. Best steak I ever has was well past its sell by date, looking rather grey but well aged by that point. Cooked well it really was excellent - dont think I would have eaten it anything other than well done though

What interests me is why things like salt and water have sell by dates. Does water stagnate in bottles or something over years? The bottle I have beside me has a date of 03/11 on it.

Most of our beef is never aged properly, and is sold in the supermarkets too young. It'd taste much better if it was.

Had a nice piece of beef yesterday that was a good dark brown colour before I'd cooked it. It was a piece I found in the cheapo section and stuck it in the freezer.

[dizzyblonde]

Originally Posted by phil24_7

Used to work in the food industry, so know my food. For this reason, I rarely obey Use by dates!

Exactly, its there to protect the industry from consumers who swear they got food poisoning. You have a Best Before and a Use By. Best before as rule of thumb is usually ok to eat after the date. Use By, occasionally is ok, that one is the important one to take notice of.
I worked in Tesco for many years, and they use the yellow reduced stickers to get rid of everything if they can. If they couldn't sell them that way the best before stuff went on staff sales and the use by stuff went in the bin.

I'll eat anything.

If you were brought up on my mum's cooking you'd be the same. When I was 16 I joined the army so I could get decent food, and felt like I was being fed at the Ritz.

I trust my nose on most things, but don't usually buy more than I need at the time - the freezer is pretty bare of new stuff at the mo, mainly stocked up with food and meals I've over estimated on when cooking and stuck in freezer bags for 'later'

[Balky001]

I do usually go by the eat before date (obviously not best before) although I know a lot of the date are brought forward for fear or litigation which is a real shame enviromentally. Although I notice the OP was past 1am in the morning so at that time I'd eat anything!

I am over the top with my food i will throw it in the bin if the use or sell by date is on the day i want to use it if its past that date not a bats in hells chance would i cook/eat it and i would never never buy anything off the whoops counter at the supermarket

[Sid Squid]

Originally Posted by Bibio

yup all the time.

i trust my nose.

Same here.

[Littlepeahead]

Best before dates are really just that - the product is at it's best. So rice, honey etc might lose the flavour or consistency but won't be harmful. The same goes for anything pickled.

Use by is where the product probably has a certain amount of bacteria in it already - like dairy and meat. Over a few days or weeks these will have grown to a level that may prove dangerous, especially if you are not cooking the product - items like pate and ham.

I laugh at the serving labels - M&S Lemon Tart, serves six. No, that is incorrect, it serves me on my own in one or two portions.