Use-by dates are not always clear. Between the products to be consumed preferably before such expiry date or the food products having a real expiry date, one mixes quickly. What we do know, however, is that throwing away products hurts the heart. And if certain perishable products must indeed not exceed the date, this one is often only indicative, because obligatory. So, what products can be kept safe after the deadline to avoid mess? Here are 17 examples of daily expired foods that you no longer have to waste because of the dates.
So, if you’ve just eaten a two-day-old yogurt and you already imagine yourself near death or poisoned and good for emergencies with a third arm pushing on your abdomen, don’t worry! And in the case of eggs, do the test to make sure they’re fresh.
1) Honey
If you keep it tightly closed in a cool, dry place, you can keep it for life! True honey is indeed an imperishable commodity. The color or texture may change, but there is no risk. Finally, know that if your honey crystallizes you can place the open jar in hot water to restore its texture of yesteryear!
2) Rice
Brown rice contains more oil so that doesn’t affect it, but other rices can be stored indefinitely, as long as you put them in a airtight container in a cool, dry place. For an opened bag, you can also place it without problem in the refrigerator or in the freezer.
3) Sugar
Sugar does not present no risk of bacteria growing there. As long as you keep it in an airtight container, it will keep all its flavor and not harden. This also applies to flour and cornstarch as long as you store them well and away from food moths!
4) Chocolate
If you discover an ugly expired tablet hidden in the back of the cupboard and which has managed to escape your greedy hands until now, you can still consume it as long as the deadline has not passed by more than two years. Just check that it is in good condition!
5) Expired yogurts
Unless they contain eggs, you can eat your expired yoghurts up to approximately two weeks to three months after the expiration date. In reality, the expiry will depend mainly on the type of yogurt. However, you can generally eat yogurt that is several weeks or months out of date without any risk to your health. These foodstuffs remain delicious. If in doubt, know that you can recycle your expired yogurts. In the septic tank, as a beauty mask or in a cooked recipe, there is no shortage of ideas to make good use of it!
6) Vanilla extract
Well kept dry and cool, you can spend your whole life with it!
7) UHT milk
Being sterilized, you can actually drink the unopened UHT milk up to two months after the deadline as long as the brick is not swollen and the smell is normal. It should nevertheless be kept in mind that it will contain fewer vitamins and mineral salts. In short, for optimal use, it is better to drink it on time. However, if this is impossible for you, your bricks are still consumable! After two months, remember to recycle your expired milk so as not to waste it. You can make cheese with it, treat the powdery mildew of your plants with it, maintain your milk leather or even use it to remove ink stains.
8) Expired brick condiments and foods
Whether it’s sauce (mustard, ketchup, etc.), gherkins, bouillon cubes, soup powder sachets or cream soups in the form of bricks, you can eat them without risk long after the deadline. Just check that their packaging is in good condition and that they are not opened. When opening, also make sure you don’t see any mold. Of course they can lose taste over the years. Nevertheless, they will not present any danger.
9) Pasta
Found an old packet of pasta left in the cupboard? With the exception of fresh pasta, you can keep it for life, even if the expiry date has passed. In short, you can enjoy a good bolognese without it being dangerous. Most dry foods of this type can indeed be safely consumed shortly after their expiration date.
10) Tin cans
You can easily consume an expired box. Just make sure your cans don’t show no rust. In addition, if the can is bulging, damaged or has bumps or tears, it is better not to consume it (and this is also true for a can whose date has not passed). There is indeed a risk of contamination by germs or botulism, the tightness of the box is no longer guaranteed.
11) Lentils and dried beans
Because of their dryness, time has no hold on them. Just be sure to keep your lentils, broad beans and beans in good condition.
12) Cheese
Even moldy, you can consume it without problem. However, it all depends on how the cheese is prepared. Indeed, a unpasteurized raw milk cheese will no longer be edible once expired. On the other hand, the others will always be good after the fateful date. You can still eat them approximately up to a week after the overdue date. If necessary, simply remove the damaged parts. And then it will be better in your stomach than in your fridge to share its good smell…
13) Expired butter
Unlike other fats, especially vegetable oils, butter also contains proteins and water which therefore reduce its shelf life and make it more likely to go rancid, especially in the case of raw butter which will quickly spoil. However, salt is an excellent preservative. As a result, your salted or semi-salted butter will keep very well: up to one year after the deadline. Regarding unsalted butter, it can generally still be consumed up to two or months after the passing date provided that the butter has not suffered a break in the cold chain. However, we advise you to consume it quickly and make sure that it does not have a sour smell. Remember to taste it to identify any rancidity.
14) Salt
Regardless of its form, salt does not expire, but you may be tempted to throw it away on the pretext that it has solidified or agglomerated due to humidity. To preserve your salt, keep it in a dry and cool place, and you will have no inconvenience to report. Also, slip in a few grains of rice to absorb moisture and make the deadlines lie! Today, it is forbidden to affix a dlc on salt pots. However, if you have old salt lying around in a cupboard, it will be without risk to your health.
15) Frozen
Steaks can be eaten within 9 months of the best before date. Other frozen foods (excluding meat and fish) can be kept indefinitely even if the taste will be less tasty with more months on the counter. The ideal temperature for good storage is -18°C.
16) Ham and sausage
You can eat them up to 2 weeks after the expiry date. Simply check their smell and their appearance (in particular their color which must remain unchanged). There is still time to make a good raclette to avoid regrettable food waste… A sacrifice that you will no doubt make with pleasure! 😉
17) Spices
You can them consume safely for years. These undeniable assets in the kitchen can be cooked for a long time, but they must be kept in a tightly closed airtight container. On the other hand, you may be able to deplore a flavor faded by the years. Apart from these diminished taste qualities, you therefore take no risk for the health of your family.
Expired foods: how to know if you can eat them
Above all, you have to use common sense and rely on their sense of smell as well as their vision. For most fresh products, we can thus always consume the food as long as it does not smell bad and its appearance remains normal. If necessary, you can make sure to cook it well to eliminate any bacteria. For long-life foods (more than 90 days), the date can generally be exceeded by several months if the packaging is in good condition (no holes, rust, stains, etc.). They can obviously go rancid, but they are unlikely to make you sick.
Expired foods that cannot be consumed after the expiry date
Certain foods such as meats (red meat and poultry), fish, seafood or unpasteurized juices more easily develop pathogenic bacteria (salmonella, listeria or even Escherichia coli). However, these same bacteria generally do not have no smell, color or taste. They cannot easily be detected. To avoid food poisoning, avoid consuming this type of food. And in the case of eggs, test their freshness before consuming them.
