Are you a stickler to expiration dates?

[emma1325]

I have some lettuce ("living lettuce") which expired yesterday. It still looks and smells quite fresh.

Use it tonight and don't give it another thought? Or throw it out?

[cristeen]

Is it an expiration date, a "best by" date, or a "sell by" date. They each mean different things.

If it looks good and smells good I see no point in throwing it awat. Mother Nature has her own timetable for decomp, that man cannot fully predict.

[jrabbit]

I don't pay much attention to expiration dates - unless they are like a year past ...

we're very healthy, knock on wood

[greenmulberry]

No, I don't worry about expiration dates if the food seems fresh.

[ursusarctos]

Originally Posted by greenmulberry

No, I don't worry about expiration dates if the food seems fresh.

[GardenStream]

Originally Posted by greenmulberry

No, I don't worry about expiration dates if the food seems fresh.

This

For something like that, I wouldn't even look for a date on the package. I'm fairly confident that I can tell when produce is ready to be tossed.

[emma1325]

Thanks everyone! Living lettuce salad with dinner tonight it is, then!

[LaughingHyena]

I tend to go by smell rather than dates for most things.

Fruit and Veg, providing that are not mouldy I will probably use. I do tend to cook things that are a bit past their best rather than use in salad.

Canned goods, I will open and smell, if it looks and smells like I expect it to I'll eat it.

Meat I will smell but I am much more cautious with. I don't tend to freeze leftovers of meals made with meat on/after the use by date. I prefer to do my sniff tests fresh.