14 “Expired Foods” That You Can Still Eat

Every once in a while, you make a resolution to clean your kitchen and fridge out and throw out all those foods that haven’t been used in a while, and are past their best-by date. But wait! Before you end up throwing out something that is perfectly fine to eat, stop and think.

The reality is that best-by dates are usually an estimate by the manufacturer of when the product will be freshest, tastiest, etc. And sell-by dates are just a guideline to retailers as to how long they can display it on their shelves. In truth, many products do not become unsafe to eat even if these dates have passed. Sometimes, you might have to sacrifice taste, but you can save yourself a lot of money and reduce wastage in the long run.

There are a lot of foods that you can safely consume even after their best by date has passed. These include things like foods that are designed specifically to withstand the test of time, processed foods, natural foods, and even moldy cheese! Read on to find out more:

1. Milk & Yogurt

Know how we said that the sell-by date is a guide to retailers, and not customers? Two of the most common foods to carry this rule is milk & yogurt. Generally, if stored correctly (in the fridge) these are still good to be consumed 5 days after this date. And if the milk or yogurt does go bad? Well, there’s no way you’ll be able to ignore the stinky smell or taste!

2. Eggs

Eggs are another kitchen staple that don’t always have to be thrown out when they pass their use-by date. But no one wants to break one open only to be hit by the truly rancid smell of a rotten egg. No worries, you can use a simple trick to check if the egg is still safe to use. Place the egg in a cup of water. If it sinks, it’s at its freshest, and if it sort of sits in the middle, its still good to eat. But if it floats to the top, throw it away!

3. Canned Goods

Canned foods are designed with the specific purpose of standing the test of time, so they last a long time. Even though the date on most canned items already go upto 2-3- years, we’d say it’s safe to eat up to a year or so after that date. Of course, the can should be stored in a cool, dry place, and if it is broken/leaking/rusted, etc. it’s a no-go.