Growing up my family had an expression when it came to wasting food. It was "Waste not want not." I grew up eating left-over for lunch and dinner and we didn't throw much food out. My mom and dad lived paycheck to paycheck. Today, my kids laugh at me because to this day I eat left overs and try not to throw anything out.
Our radio stations do food drives like Stuff the Bus and Back Pack Snacks for Kids every year because many Sussex County family's can't afford to buy enough food. Backpack Snacks for Kids will be at the Sparta Stop and Shop Saturday and Sunday March 24th and 25th.
So if you are having a tough time or just don't like to waste food. Here are some foods you can eat after the USDA expiration date. As a general rule use common sense. If a can is swollen or something is smelly, foamy, slimy or smelly you should toss it.
1. Canned goods stored in a cool dark area. If the can is swollen or rusted toss it.
2. Most dairy products can be consumed up to 5 days past the sell by date per the USDA. Yogurt, cheese and milk are good until signs of spoilage are evident.
3. Cereal, pasta and cookies are usually good to eat past the sell by date. They might taste stale. If the package has bites, tears or a strong smell it could be a sign of rodent contamination. Toss it.
4. Frozen fruits and veggies are OK too. Freezer burn might affect the taste but they're still safe to eat. Never defrost food and then refreeze it.
Source: Esquire.com
1 of 1