'Best Before' confusion leading to needless food waste

[Karen]

It is different in America, of course. Regulations vary from country to country. And I know, from farm folks in the family that "sell-by" dates on dairy means the product within is good for a week after that printed date. They (rightly) don't expect you to consume that whole gallon of milk the same day you buy it! And if unopened, it may be good afterwards, it's up to you to "sniff test."

Eggs that you are unsure of you can always test for freshness, that has been discussed here in other threads.

And inert things, like baking soda and baking powder, basically those dates mean very little. I have used baking powder over a year after it's use by date, and the cake rose just fine!

[Freedom]

I rarely have food in the house long enough for this to be an issue.

[RICHARD]

Anything that expires after December 2012 is kinda moot/


The world is going to end, so why put an expiration date on stuff?

[Lady's Human]

Anything that expires after December 2012 is kinda moot/


The world is going to end, so why put an expiration date on stuff?

Speaking of which, has anyone found the date code on the planet?

Had to be one mother of a printer to put that sucker on....we should be able to see it from space, dontcha think?

[RICHARD]

Speaking of which, has anyone found the date code on the planet?

Had to be one mother of a printer to put that sucker on....we should be able to see it from space, dontcha think?

The lines of Nazca.

"nuff said?

[Lady's Human]

The lines at NASCAR? Huh?

I know the concession and portajohn lines are LOOOOOOOOOOONG, but I didn't think they were THAT long!

[Karen]

No, silly! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nazca_Lines

[RICHARD]

It is different in America, of course. Regulations vary from country to country. And I know, from farm folks in the family that "sell-by" dates on dairy means the product within is good for a week after that printed date. They (rightly) don't expect you to consume that whole gallon of milk the same day you buy it! And if unopened, it may be good afterwards, it's up to you to "sniff test."

Eggs that you are unsure of you can always test for freshness, that has been discussed here in other threads.

And inert things, like baking soda and baking powder, basically those dates mean very little. I have used baking powder over a year after it's use by date, and the cake rose just fine!

I got sicker than a mad dog during the Great Salmonella Egg debacle in 2010.

The only reason I knew that is because of the date/product code on the box.

That may have saved my life.

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A more pressing question is how to boil an egg?