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

I'm eating some jalapeno houmous right now that expired on the 27th of December. Doesn't smell foul, and tastes pretty normal. Lets hope it doesn't hurt tomorrow.

Anyone else follow their smell and vision as oppose to that little black printed label?

[Bibio]

yup all the time.

i trust my nose.

[DarrenSV650S]

Sometimes.

One thing you have to watch is pate. Always obey the sell by date on that

Depends what it is and where it came from. Milk or cream - I never use it if over the date. But eggs seem to last for a few months after the date.

[DarrenSV650S]

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.

I think it's to do with the protective layer on the bottle breaking down and exposing the chemicals that the bottle is made of. That's why they say not to re-use the bottle

[Bibio]

one of the funny ones is pure honey. it by rights should not have a sell by date, as it should never go off.

what did we do before sell by dates? ooohh and it wasn't that long ago folks.

Best before dates are only a guide, its giving you a time after which the product may not taste as good as it did when 'fresh'.

Display until / Use by dates are there to say, effectively, when something can be expected to go off after. Display until or sell by with numbers in brackets indicate the number of days after the sell by / display date that the produc will last.

So really its perishables that have display/sell and non perishables that have best before. I can only imagine that the reason just about everything has a date is so noone can complain the product wasnt 'right'

as said trust your nose, if instincts tell you its ok then go for it either that or i have a cast iron tum

never used to bother with the dates but after the last bout of food poisoning( both ends going like old faithful fireing out green/orange s**t-throat was on fire and star was like japanese flag), i'm a little more choosey.

Definitely agree with the "go with your nose" theory, works for me and believe me, I got a LOT of practice in my student days, I was too poor to go out and buy more food...never got poisoned though!

Originally Posted by Ed

Depends what it is and where it came from. Milk or cream - I never use it if over the date. But eggs seem to last for a few months after the date.

+1, I use the egg test if the eggs are supposed to be out of date, drop em in a cup of water and if they float = I won't eat it