Are the 'use by / sell by' dates on food a load of rubbish?

[Brovion]

I've been hearing that as a nation we waste tons of food and that it all goes to landfill. People have been wringing their hands and wondering how we can stop this. Well I've got an idea - take all the 'Sell By and Use By' dates off food and let people use their common sense as to whether something is edible or not.

Three examples over Christmas, two one-offs, one systematic:

1 - We'd just eaten the last of the home-made Christmas cake when my wife proudly announced that the icing had been made with something called Sainsbury's 'EasyIce' - and the packet had gone out of date in April 1996! It had been stuck at the back of the cupboard, but she opened it, it looked ok, tasted fine and we're all still here.

2 - I was trying to buy a packet of ham in the Fiveways Co-op. It had been reduced but the checkout girl said she couldn't sell it to me as it was now out of date (it wouldn't scan). I asked what was going to happen to it and she said it would be thrown away! I could see through the packaging that it was fine, it wasn't green or slimey or anything, and I was prepared to take the chance but she wouldn't be swayed.

3 - Mentioned both these examples to my son's girlfriend and she says her mum often throws food out when it gets to the day before the expiry date 'to be on the safe side'!

Anybody else think we need to re-think this?

 

[Tricky Dicky]

Clearly it matters more for some things than others. Anything with vinegar in it (e.g. pickles) will last for decades, but will still have a use-by date of less than a year. The vendors/makers have to be more safe than sorry, they don't know how long stuff is going to be on the shelves. A bit of common sense if required.

 

[KZNSeagull]

Depends on the food really. Our local Spar here is notorious for changing dates on food. In order to be safe, we always make a hole in the packaging and smell it. We have in the past got home with meat and vegetables that were off from there.

I think you are right about certain products, but with fresh food sell by dates should definately stay.

Just as an aside, we went to my father's house for lunch once and he served up small Yorkshire puddings. When I asked if he had found my mothers recipe, he replied that actually they were made by my mother and frozen. She had been dead for 5 years! They were still excellent though.

 

[Art Vs Science]

Some things i would eat beyond a use by date but others not, fish being one of those not to be messed with.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

this is something that really winds me up! my dad has had it drilled into him by his ridiculous ex wife that use/sell by dates must be followed very closely. this is to the point that the daft cow throws out frozen goods when the date is up, what a farce! i found my dad binning a wheel of brie that had surpassed its date, its cheese for fark-sake, if theres any mould slice it off and carry on! it basically comes down to common sense, if it looks off or smells off, it is off, if it looks good, smells good it will be good.

I've been working in catering for several years so have a bit of knoledge in this field

 

[Art Vs Science]

this is something that really winds me up! my dad has had it drilled into him by his ridiculous ex wife that use/sell by dates must be followed very closely. this is to the point that the daft cow throws out frozen goods when the date is up, what a farce! i found my dad binning a wheel of brie that had surpassed its date, its cheese for fark-sake, if theres any mould slice it off and carry on! it basically comes down to common sense, if it looks off or smells off, it is off, if it looks good, smells good it will be good.

I've been working in catering for several years so have a bit of knoledge in this field

How many stars at McDonald's have you worked up to now?

 

[Timbo]

An unopened beer will apparently last for years and years but manufacturers have to by law put a one year limit from the day it was made.

 

[Brovion]

Clearly it matters more for some things than others. Anything with vinegar in it (e.g. pickles) will last for decades, but will still have a use-by date of less than a year. The vendors/makers have to be more safe than sorry, they don't know how long stuff is going to be on the shelves. A bit of common sense if required.

But why put a date on anything? And don't forget not everything has dates, if I go to the local greengrocers and buy a load of loose carrots they haven't got dates on them - but I know if I don't eat them they'll go squashy black and smelly.

 

[Notters]

I bought some bread and cream in Taj the other day, both of which had three days left on their date. The bread was stale and the cream was rancid and STANK. I'm never shopping there again as have had too many crap experiences but it shows that the date thing can work both ways.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

How many stars at McDonald's have you worked up to now?

ha ha, left myself open to that! but seriously, been working as a chef using fresh ingredients for years. would be lunacy if we binned stuff the moment a sticker claimed it was out of date!

 

[Billy the Fish]

It's a symptom of moder society, it's a drip drip effect of people becoming less prepared to think for themselves.

Computer says no, the packet told me etc. etc.

What they should put on is when a product was made, that would cover stuff like dairy products and meat that do go off quickly. Make it the responsibility of the buyer to know how long food will last for.

 

[KZNSeagull]

But why put a date on anything?

As others have said, it is to cover the backsides of the retailer/manufacturer. But it also forces you to go and buy more.

 

[Art Vs Science]

ha ha, left myself open to that! but seriously, been working as a chef using fresh ingredients for years. would be lunacy if we binned stuff the moment a sticker claimed it was out of date!

Yeah it's a society less capable of thinking for themselves food wise. Alot to be said about gran and grandad's old fashioned ways but they bloody worked. The younger generation do not seem to be able to turn one meal into another or leftovers into a different dish. Not having a pop at them but i honestly think this is an education thing and how your brought up

 

[beorhthelm]

the whole thing is a mess. doesnt help with the different "use by", "sell by" and the very subjective "best before" dates. the former is simple enough and usually on meat and perishables. Sell by is there for stock control. best before is there for quality control. best thing is to judge for yourself. if a delivery of milk, bread or meat has been left outside for 6 hours of summer sun waiting to go into store, then the date becomes pretty meaningless.

my dad has a stock of old beer, 2006 is the date on them and when opened they have a tendancy to foam up straight away or else they taste very over-malty (some might like this and says its well conditioned). i've stopped drinking them now as i think its a tad OTT.

the one that makes me laugh most is water. it has nothing in it to go bad or even deterioate in quality, unless you leave the bottles outside in midday sun.

 

[gullshark]

As humans who have evolved over the years I think we should have a pretty acute sense of when something is rotten, I generally trust my instincts first and the packet second.

 

[Silent Bob]

It's a symptom of moder society, it's a drip drip effect of people becoming less prepared to think for themselves.

Computer says no, the packet told me etc. etc.

What they should put on is when a product was made, that would cover stuff like dairy products and meat that do go off quickly. Make it the responsibility of the buyer to know how long food will last for.

Or instead of any dates they should just put the words "kill yourself" in large letters on every packet.

Then we wouldn't have to worry about people like Brovion's son's girlfriend's mum.

 

[DarrenFreemansPerm]

Yeah it's a society less capable of thinking for themselves food wise. Alot to be said about gran and grandad's old fashioned ways but they bloody worked. The younger generation do not seem to be able to turn one meal into another or leftovers into a different dish. Not having a pop at them but i honestly think this is an education thing and how your brought up

Agree 100%. i realise i've been fortunate with my work background but I would still utilise food as much as possible because above all things its cost effective!

 

[Cheshire]

Dates are a legal requirement and also as a result of pressure from the supermarkets on suppliers. As many have already stated for certain foods it is vital and these food stuffs are covered by a use by date and these are best sticking to. While a Best before date is just a recommendation to enjoy the product at it's best - but these types of products will keep and normally be useable far beyond that date.

 

[Art Vs Science]

Agree 100%. i realise i've been fortunate with my work background but I would still utilise food as much as possible because above all things its cost effective!

Yeah spot on, you have to use everything you have if need be. E.g, i wonder how many chicken carcasses get thrown every week. Christ i sound like a WW2 veteran, i am only 28(anyone that knows me , Bo*****) i look 28, that's what counts!

 

[MJsGhost]

I am currently tucking into some M&S Chicken & Lentil soup - use by 26/12/10. I you don't hear from me again...