Expired food?

Question

Occasionally to stretch our budget further I will shop at a local store that has discounted groceries. Sometimes it's just box damage or dented cans. And sometimes it's expired or out of date food. Day old bread etc. When telling others about the great deals I found I've been met with mixed reviews about even shopping at this kind of store. 
What do you think about buying and eating groceries that are not in perfect condition or expired? Is it ok and worth the money saved or a health risk?

NOTE: I don't buy if its been out of date for a long time. Or if it's something that spoils easy(I.e. Applesauce) My out of date items are usually pasta, breads, cereals. & I rarely buy dented cans because I've heard it can be dangerous.

Answer

Many expiration dates are a crock of s**t anyway, especially with things like pasta. I eat a lot of things beyond the "best before" date and never had a problem.

Answer

Totally depends. I would never by milk that is a day old. I can't even stand to drink it when it expires the next day.

There is also a difference between sell by and expiration. Some stuff is really just a sell by date. The other day I bought 2lbs of salmon for 7 bucks. That was only because it's sell by date was the following day. I made it that night and had the leftovers a day later and I'm still alive. I've done the same with chicken and beef too. It saves a couple bucks which allows me to buy the "me" things or things to spoil myself.

Also, I'll eat some stuff until it goes stale. Like chips, crackers and other random stuff.

Answer

There are countless videos on how much food we waste because we don't completely comprehend expiration dates. It's not that they aren't real it's just that they aren't accurate. Something like milk is a different story, but frozen food, pasta, sometimes bread etc. is good for awhile after the date. Don't be ashamed-you're being much more Eco-friendly than some of your friends 💗🌎

Answer

I'm in the UK and my work includes some food standards/safety work. Food products here are either labelled 'use by' or 'best before'. Foods with a 'use by' label are highly perishable and likely to carry bugs that will cause illness if eaten past the date - it's generally things like meat, dairy and prepared foods etc that require refrigeration.  A 'best before ' label is about the quality of the food (often taste, texture or colour) deteriorating rather than whether or not it is safe. Most foods with a best before label will not cause illness if eaten past the date, but they might not be as nice to eat.

Answer

It depends for me. If the food expired within the last month i am fine with it. But if it is past a month or even a year(s), it needs to go in the trash, i dont want to risk my health, ive been given a bottle of advil that expired 9 years ago and it made me sick. That was the last time i didnt check the label before consuming it

Answer

I go to the 99 cent store and buy some groveries there. Mostly cereals, pastas and things that don't usually expire. As well as veggies, they don't last long, but they are cheap and perfectly fine if you use them quickly. I save a lot of money that I would of ended up spending twice the price for at a regular grocery store

Answer

I will readily buy dented cans or imperfect boxes but I don't screw around with expired food. It's cheaper to spend more money on the food than it is to spend time in the hospital with a severe case of food poisoning. Even fresh food isn't without risks but your risks are far greater with expired food items.

With that being said I totally support you doing what is best for your situation. I don't judge you one bit and it's honestly not anyone's business to judge where you get your food.

Answer

Keep it up! We waste so much food it's ridiculous. 
Some people are under the impression if it's a day past the exp date that something must be less-than and unsafe to eat. So not true.

Most people probably wouldn't eat eggs if they realized how long they sit on the farm waiting to be picked up for the grocery store. They're perfectly fine

Answer

There is actually a really good documentary on this. Called "Just Eat It" really good movie on how much food Americans waste and how good although considered expired might not be. Really suggest  watching it. Americans waste 30% or more of their grocery purchases. The couple in the film weren't allowed to eat anything but expired or free food I think. They ended up gaining weight at the end of it I think. Great watch for all!

Answer

Depends on the product. Most products have an expiration date that's more of a sell by date and it's just to lower the chances of losing a lawsuit if someone were to fall ill from eating the food. Things like milk and yogurt are going to turn bad faster and shouldn't be bought beyond the expiration date. If it's just day old bread or slightly old pasta that's not really a big deal.

Expired food?

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