T_R_Oglodyte
TUG Lifetime Member
With any perishable good, the main thing is breaking the seal on the product. Once you do that, spoilage inevitably follows.Pop, soda, etc., starts tasting pretty bad after the expiration date.
Yogurt, I ignore the date. Canned goods, kind of annoying that some people throw them out after they "expire." My kids are guilty of that. I told every one of our kids that canned goods don't expire and dates are new on those cans. It's just a weird thing, throwing out good food because it's supposedly expired.
Within that category, there are differences. Dairy products, particularly, have a finite life even if not opened. Other items, especially canned goods, will last far beyond expiration dates.
Dehydrated foods will last almost almost indefinitely if the package isn't opened, and will still keep for a long time after the package isn't opened as long as the food is kept dry. The residual moisture content of foods like ramen, potato flakes, mango slices, etc., is below the level needed for microbes. ("The food industry calls these "shelf stable" products..) The primary spoilage hazard for these foods are pests such as insects and vermin that don't spoil the product, but eat it.
Heck - I've used eggs that were three months "out of date". Egg shells are hermetic. As long as the egg doesn't smell rotten, it's probably OK to eat. Of course, there's a notable decline in quality from a fresh egg, but I don't toss edible food just because it isn't prime.
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I grew up in a family where, on occasion, the main course for dinner was ketchup sandwiches or pancakes because there wasn't any other food in the house. So for me, tossing out food that is edible, just because it is past the expiration date, is anathema. To talk about throwing out edible food just because it is not fresh and tasty is a very different concept from the world where I grew up and where I choose to live.