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I think we all know that sell by means sell by. It is the simple fact that you may have bought a product and it is bad before the time it even needs to be bought by.
Bread. While some don't like bread going bad, etc, I have a problem with bread that seemingly lasts forever!
There are just the two of us and we can keep bread for what seems like forever without it going bad! That is something that bothers me!
As far as MRE's are concerned, they are manufactured simply for caloric intake. They are packed with preservatives to hold shelf life. But you will not find expired ones out in the field, as it is against govco regulations.
DH ate C-rations during the Viet Nam War that were about as old as he was.
"Sir William Edward Parry made two arctic expeditions to the Northwest Passage in the 1820's and took canned provisions on his journeys. One four-pound tin of roasted veal, carried on both trips but never opened, was kept as an artifact of the expedition in a museum until it was opened in 1938. The contents, then over one hundred years old, were chemically analyzed and found to have kept most of their nutrients and to be in fairly perfect condition. The veal was fed to a cat, who had no complaints whatsoever."
The steamboat Bertrand sank in 1865.
"Among the canned food items retrieved from the Bertrand in 1968 were brandied peaches, oysters, plum tomatoes, honey, and mixed vegetables. In 1974, chemists at the National Food Processors Association (NFPA) analyzed the products for bacterial contamination and nutrient value. Although the food had lost its fresh smell and appearance, the NFPA chemists detected no microbial growth and determined that the foods were as safe to eat as they had been when canned more than 100 years earlier."
I think we all know that sell by means sell by. It is the simple fact that you may have bought a product and it is bad before the time it even needs to be bought by.
I realize that; however, we also can all agree that particular scenario is the exception rather than the rule. I've purchased I don't know how many hundreds of 1/2 pound blocks of cheddar cheese in my lifetime; only one has ever gone moldy in the package, even weeks after the date stamped on the wrapper.
We also should agree that sometimes you just have to take the loss -- a bad apple or a mushy orange in a bag, for instance.
That said, most grocery stores will replace the product or refund your money without a fight if a newly opened product is spoiled before its sell by, use by or best buy date. Most will even allow you to replace the bad apple or mushy orange. With a receipt, of course.
I realize that; however, we also can all agree that particular scenario is the exception rather than the rule. I've purchased I don't know how many hundreds of 1/2 pound blocks of cheddar cheese in my lifetime; only one has ever gone moldy in the package, even weeks after the date stamped on the wrapper.
We also should agree that sometimes you just have to take the loss -- a bad apple or a mushy orange in a bag, for instance.
That said, most grocery stores will replace the product or refund your money without a fight if a newly opened product is spoiled before its sell by, use by or best buy date. Most will even allow you to replace the bad apple or mushy orange. With a receipt, of course.
It isn't a huge deal to me as you are making it. If you notice in the rest of my post, I am BOTHERED that my bread lasts as long as it does....
I used to have a lot of milk that spoiled even before it's sell-by date but in the past year I've stuck with a market that's been advertising "guaranteed fresh milk" and I have yet to have a bad bottle. If one market can do it, why can't they all?
I have a problem with milk when purchased at Vons UNLESS it is their organic milk. Their other brands (Lucerne and one other) go bad, I mean turning to solid, before the sell by date. It isn't my fridge as it is pretty new and no other milk does this. In fact, you can google Von's Bad Milk and come up with hits. I have spoken to Von's several times (they gave me some coupons), Lucerne (never responded), but the problem persists. I stopped buying it unless I get organic. I am thinking they either change the dates on their product or they don't have adequate storage.
With the healthier breads you're going to see mold appear a lot quicker....it's the lack of perservatives.
I wish they would sell half loaves of bread. I don't eat a whole loaf before it goes icky and it kills me to pitch it.
Not a fan of keeping bread in the fridge, but will do it if I have to.
I don't eat a lot of bread and my preference is Ezekiel which does go bad quickly. I wrap it well and keep it in the freezer. When I want a sandwich I pull out a couple of slices and let it defrost at room temp. It takes about 1/2 an hour or so. It works for me.
I have a problem with milk when purchased at Vons UNLESS it is their organic milk. Their other brands (Lucerne and one other) go bad, I mean turning to solid, before the sell by date. It isn't my fridge as it is pretty new and no other milk does this. In fact, you can google Von's Bad Milk and come up with hits. I have spoken to Von's several times (they gave me some coupons), Lucerne (never responded), but the problem persists. I stopped buying it unless I get organic. I am thinking they either change the dates on their product or they don't have adequate storage.
The milk we have problems with is WalMart. As I have mentioned before, we don't shop often at WMart, but once in awhile, when I have a few things, from different dept to pick up I will shop there. if I get milk, it barely lasts til the sale date has come and gone.. The important thing here is common sense ..If i find a spoiled apple in a bag, I will check closely to see if any others are going bad, if so, the whole bag gets tossed, same with onions, oranges, whatever, but if only one is spoiled I will saparate them and enjoy the rest. If something looks strange, or tastes a little odd, the trash gets to keep it til the next pick up, but I am not going to base what we do and do not eat based on sale or experation date for heavens sake.Nita
Good grief people. You all have missed the entire point, not to mention obviously the OP wasn't read.
I could care less that there is consensus here that foods are good for X years past the expiration date. The point is that we should not be purchasing items that have expired, are close to expiring or are freezer burnt. And while some may be ok with that, I am not and there is something wrong with the "chain" that it is landing on shelves as such. We the consumer are getting the short end of the stick, if you are ok mediocrity and ok with paying top shelf prices for third rate product then more power to 'ya.
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I don't eat a whole loaf before it goes icky and it kills me to pitch it.
The important thing here is common sense ..If i find a spoiled apple in a bag, I will check closely to see if any others are going bad, if so, the whole bag gets tossed, same with onions, oranges, whatever, but if only one is spoiled I will saparate them and enjoy the rest. If something looks strange, or tastes a little odd, the trash gets to keep it til the next pick up, but I am not going to base what we do and do not eat based on sale or experation date for heavens sake.Nita
