Most outdated items you've seen on store shelves...

[CTGirlNoMore]

Forget the store, let's talk my mother house. LOL

In November 2011, my mother gave my sister-in-law and I salad dressing to use. It had expired in 2008.

[DaniellaG]

You would think they would have the grocery staff go through the shelves to check expiration dates more often. Especially in the dairy or produce. A few times I have found expired dairy products. I also don't like when large items such as a gallon of milk is going to expire in a day. I am not able to use it all. Online there was an article about how long you can really use products after the expiration such as eggs.

[OpenD]

I guess this is a pretty good human nature study about how many people don't read comments, just replying to the original post.

I'll say it again... the dates you see on food in a supermarket are NOT expiration dates. NOT!

The only packaged food in a market that has an expiration date is infant formula, as required by federal law. Other foods MAY have a date on them that is considered a Sell by: date if not labelled, which is used for inventory control, and has to do with food quality, not food safety. But even those voluntary dates are very conservative, and take into account reasonable storage times after purchase.

For example, canned goods typically show a date that is two years after the canning date, but studies have shown that 10 years later the food is still good, with only slight changes in taste and texture. Food in jars has similar longevity, as long as it is kept away from light and heat.

Baked goods like crackers and cookies have the shortest shelf life, primarily because of their inexpensive packaging, which lets in air and they go stale. So paying attention to Sell by: dates in that category makes sense. Tinned baked goods, like Scandinavian cookies that are sealed are much longer lasting.

But I think fresh milk and other dairy products cause the most confusion. The Sell by: date on a carton of fresh milk allows for 7 days of storage at home.

To hopefully make it more clear, a lot of ready-to-eat prepared foods are switching over to a Use by: date, which is actually more user friendly. For example refrigerated sous-vide foods, like stuffed chicken breasts in sauce, which only require heating to serve, might have a Use by: date six weeks away. That certainly makes it easier for the consumer to gauge whether they'll likely eat the product within that period. And then if you buy it and don't use it right away, maybe you even forget you have it for a while, the Use by: date eliminates the guesswork about whether it's still good.

But remember, those dates you see on cans and packages and jars are not expiration dates. They're just loose guides to when items should be sold for best quality after normal home storage.

[rainroosty]

Originally Posted by OpenD

I guess this is a pretty good human nature study about how many people don't read comments, just replying to the original post.

I'll say it again... the dates you see on food in a supermarket are NOT expiration dates. NOT!

The only packaged food in a market that has an expiration date is infant formula, as required by federal law. Other foods MAY have a date on them that is considered a Sell by: date if not labelled, which is used for inventory control, and has to do with food quality, not food safety. But even those voluntary dates are very conservative, and take into account reasonable storage times after purchase.

For example, canned goods typically show a date that is two years after the canning date, but studies have shown that 10 years later the food is still good, with only slight changes in taste and texture. Food in jars has similar longevity, as long as it is kept away from light and heat.

Baked goods like crackers and cookies have the shortest shelf life, primarily because of their inexpensive packaging, which lets in air and they go stale. So paying attention to Sell by: dates in that category makes sense. Tinned baked goods, like Scandinavian cookies that are sealed are much longer lasting.

But I think fresh milk and other dairy products cause the most confusion. The Sell by: date on a carton of fresh milk allows for 7 days of storage at home.

To hopefully make it more clear, a lot of ready-to-eat prepared foods are switching over to a Use by: date, which is actually more user friendly. For example refrigerated sous-vide foods, like stuffed chicken breasts in sauce, which only require heating to serve, might have a Use by: date six weeks away. That certainly makes it easier for the consumer to gauge whether they'll likely eat the product within that period. And then if you buy it and don't use it right away, maybe you even forget you have it for a while, the Use by: date eliminates the guesswork about whether it's still good.

But remember, those dates you see on cans and packages and jars are not expiration dates. They're just loose guides to when items should be sold for best quality after normal home storage.

Oh, I think people see, but are being polite....because you are so wrong about this. You can believe what you want, but just because others don't agree and follow does not make us stupid.
To say that only infant formula is the only product that has an expiration date is....well......silly as heck.
You're not the authority and final-say-so on things....

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by rainroosty

Oh, I think people see, but are being polite....because you are so wrong about this. You can believe what you want, but just because others don't agree and follow does not make us stupid.

I don't believe people are stupid, just sometimes misinformed. And I'm trying to provide a service when I provide facts that I hope will displace misunderstanding. I believe what the Food & Drug Administration and USDA say about food dating, since they are the ones who make the rules.

Here's a taste of what they say:

A "Sell-By" date tells the store how long to display the product for sale. You should buy the product before the date expires.
A "Best if Used By (or Before)" date is recommended for best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.
A "Use-By" date is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. The date has been determined by the manufacturer of the product.

What do can codes mean?
Cans must exhibit a packing code to enable tracking of the product in interstate commerce. This enables manufacturers to rotate their stock as well as to locate their products in the event of a recall...

Cans may also display "open" or calendar dates. Usually these are "best if used by" dates for peak quality.

In general, high-acid canned foods such as tomatoes, grapefruit and pineapple will retain best quality on the shelf for 12 to 18 months; low-acid canned foods such as meat, poultry, fish and most vegetables will retain best quality on the shelf for 2 to 5 years — if the can remains in good condition and has been stored in a cool, clean, dry place.

Food Product Dating | USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service

By now y'all should know I don't make stuff up. I can always provide references for what i say here.

[debzkidz]

Originally Posted by Hedgehog_Mom

I found a jar of gourmet honey and walnuts that had expired 8 years earlier.

The major grocery store chain in my city has a policy that if you find an expired item, you can have an identical, unexpired item for free. A lot of people here make a habit of checking the dates and loading up their carts with expired and free items. It keeps it fresh for everyone else, who can't always be bothered to check the dates on their stuff.

Ah,yes HEB. My kids used to love to go to the store with me and search for expired items. It was like a treasure hunt. Sometimes they would get lucky and find stuff, and other times we would walk away without any freebies, but it always kept them busy looking.

[Cordula]

Tough call. Probably the most outdated I saw was a container of sour cream. Three weeks overdue and still on the shelves? Now I'm starting to see that I have it good compared to other posters here.

[suzy_q2010]

This weekend: my own spice shelf. Ground cloves, dated 1977. Used the last 1/4 teaspoon in a chicken curry. It was delish. Had the last of it for lunch today.