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Sure, and that's partly about CYA, and partly about perception-- no one wants to feel like they were given the "reject food" nobody else wants to eat just because they're poor.
When I come into product that is "past date" within reason, I will head down to the local food bank on a Saturday morning when there is a large crowd. I will open my trunk and put my cardboard sign that states "FREE FOOD" and in no more than 10-15 minutes, the food will be gone without fail. I have never gone home with food. The clients of our local food bank are the working poor who make just enough money that they do not qualify for SNAP and they will be more than happy to take 10 cans of Chunky soup that is three months past date or two jars of Ragu sauce.
As for "reject food", a lot of that is more of a determination of the wealthy folks running some of these places. I had one food bank in Illinois reject food that was purchased that week (with over two years prior to the expiration date) because they felt that ALDI brands were "just not good enough" for their clients. Another food bank in the area rejected my donation of 100 cases of Meijer canned vegetables (brand new) because their Hispanic clients (migrant farm workers) preferred fresh vegetables.
Well, I've eaten things past their expiration date off and on through the years but in the last several years I have had really bad luck with Sam's Club canned soups.
We've bought a couple of cases that were totally spoiled.
When I come into product that is "past date" within reason, I will head down to the local food bank on a Saturday morning when there is a large crowd. I will open my trunk and put my cardboard sign that states "FREE FOOD" and in no more than 10-15 minutes, the food will be gone without fail. I have never gone home with food. The clients of our local food bank are the working poor who make just enough money that they do not qualify for SNAP and they will be more than happy to take 10 cans of Chunky soup that is three months past date or two jars of Ragu sauce.
As for "reject food", a lot of that is more of a determination of the wealthy folks running some of these places. I had one food bank in Illinois reject food that was purchased that week (with over two years prior to the expiration date) because they felt that ALDI brands were "just not good enough" for their clients. Another food bank in the area rejected my donation of 100 cases of Meijer canned vegetables (brand new) because their Hispanic clients (migrant farm workers) preferred fresh vegetables.
And I've known plenty of people who are acutely aware that the food they're being given is what others didn't want-- too old, too off-brand, too unpopular, etc.
And I've known plenty of people who are acutely aware that the food they're being given is what others didn't want-- too old, too off-brand, too unpopular, etc.
The FDA requires an expiration date on all foods and drugs and disposable medical devices. About the only thing that really goes bad in a can are tomatoes. If a can is intact, has no rust, the top and bottom are not bloated out then the food inside the can should be good. If you open the can and it smells like you expect then I would assume it is good. If it is suppose to be cooked I would definitely cook it. But I would not just throw stuff out due to an arbitary date stamped on the can.
Try some past-dated evaporated milk sometime. It ain't pretty.
ETA - at the food shelf where I volunteer, we hand out food up to one year past "Best by" date. Things like meat usually come in frozen, if not we freeze them right away. However, if the sell by date is past and the meat is not frozen, it gets tossed. Believe it or not, it goes to a commercial compost facility.
It is not new, been around for decades.....but apparently, a lot of people clench tightly to it. So where does it come from?
LOL Because I thought that's what due dates were for. I never eat anything past the date on the package. I couldn't understand people who DID eat things past the expiration date. LOL I don't want botulism or salmonella poisoning. That was my thinking anyway.
Still, there seems to be an attitude of many people of, "This date is past. It's bad. Chuck it.". Where, what causes this attitude?
Because most people assume the expiration date means the food will expire by that date.
Quote:
Originally Posted by DubbleT
I've never really gone too much by "BB" dates as anything more than a suggestion, my daughter on the other hand freaks out over them for some reason. We have had more than one disagreement over whether or not some can or jar needs to be thrown out because it's past date. I raised her so I don't know where she gets it from, maybe it stems from the common misuse of the outdated term 'expiration date'.
LOL What do YOU think expiration date means? Why is it there?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nancy739
Expiration dates appeared on things the very second that someone figured out they could make more money that way.
People believe it because marketing wants them to and work diligently towards that end. Some people haven't lived long enough to remember when canned food and other things did not have expiration dates and no one ever got sick because of it. Perfectly good food and other things are being thrown in the trash because they have been taught to believe it "expired" two hours ago.
Ooooh I see. Hmmm... Never thought of that. I just know I don't want food poisoning.
Because most people assume the expiration date means the food will expire by that date.
LOL What do YOU think expiration date means? Why is it there?
Ooooh I see. Hmmm... Never thought of that. I just know I don't want food poisoning.
Where do you see "expiration date"?
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