
The food bank gave me a hand-out about how long you can safely eat unopened foods past their expiration dates, and I thought other people might find it helpful.
DAIRY:
- Milk, cream: within 10 days past expiration date
- Soft cheese, yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese: consume within 14 days past expiration date
- Butter, hard cheese: consume within 3 months past expiration date (personal note: if cheese gets mold you can cut off the moldy parts the rest is still fine)
- Frozen butter: consume within 12 months past expiration date
- Eggs (in shells): consume within 1 month past expiration date
- Egg substitutes: consume within 10 days of expiration date.
MEAT:
- Fresh: consume on or before expiration date
- Frozen: defrost in fridge or microwave, and eat immediately after defrosting.
- Not do eat: meat with severe freeze burn, discolored meat, and meat not frozen before expiration date
MEAT & DAIRY SUBSTITUTES:
- Liquid products (rice milk, almond milk): consume withing 10 days past expiration date
- Shelf stable liquid products: consume within 12 months past expiration date
- Margarine: consume within 6 months past expiration date
- Meat substitutes (tofu, etc): consume on or before expiration date
- Frozen meat substitutes: consume within 12 months past expiration date if frozen before expiration date
DRIED & CANNED FOODS:
- Dried beans, pasta: consume indefinitely
- Dressings, mayo: consume within 12 months past expiration date
- Cereal, crackers: consume within 12 months past expiration date
- Canned foods: may be consumed indefinitely (except for pineapple and tomato)
- Jarred foods, canned tomato and pineapple: consume within 18 months past expiration date
OTHER:
- Fresh juice: consume within 3 months past expiration date
- Fresh bread, pastries: consume on or before expiration date (personal note, I find that sandwich bread is good to eat so long as it’s not stale or growing mold)
- Frozen bread: consume within 6 months past expiration date
- Fresh produce: ripe, edible, and mold-free
- Sliced melon: consume on or before expiration date
- Deli items, packaged by store: consume within 48 hours of expiration date
- Pre-packaged prepared foods packed by manufacturer, fresh: consume within 14 days past expiration date
- Pre-packaged prepared foods packed by manufacturer, frozen: consume within 12 months past expiration date
DO NOT EAT:
- Food that is stale, has insects, or mold
- Food in open, punctured, bulging, or seriously damaged cans
- Food in a jar that is leaking or has a broken seal
- Food that is discolored or has an off-odor
- Product has been thawed then re-frozen
Please use your best judgement and when in doubt, throw it out.
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