It's Usually Safe to Eat Food Past the Expiration Date—Here's How to Know When It's Ok (2024)

FAQs

It's Usually Safe to Eat Food Past the Expiration Date—Here's How to Know When It's Ok? ›

"With an exception of infant formula, if the date [on your food] passes during home storage, a product should still be safe and wholesome if handled properly until the time spoilage is evident," according to FSIS. 1 You can tell if a food is spoiled if it has an off odor, flavor, or texture.

Sell-By Date: Refers to the last day a retailer can display a product for sale; typically a food is safe to eat for 10 days after the Sell-by Date if refrigerated properly. Use-By Date: Refers to the last day a product will maintain its optimum freshness, flavor, and texture.

"The sniff test remains the best gauge," Kaplan says, so if it looks and smells good, your food is still probably safe to eat. Of course, it's still best to err on the side of caution to avoid getting sick, so if you have any doubts about the safety or quality of your food, toss it out.

Most shelf-stable foods are safe indefinitely. In fact, canned goods will last for years, as long as the can itself is in good condition (no rust, dents, or swelling). Packaged foods (cereal, pasta, cookies) will be safe past the 'best by' date, although they may eventually become stale or develop an off flavor.

First, look for a date with the phrase “use by,” “sell by,” or “best by.” The date will typically be in a “Month/Day/Year” form, so a code like 110324 would mean November 3rd, 2024.

For sell-by dates that go past at home, you can continue to store the food for a short amount of time depending on what it is. Some common products are: ground meat and poultry (1 to 2 days past the date), beef (3 to 5 days past the date), eggs (3 to 5 weeks past the date).

But things like milk, cheese, fresh vegetables, and fruit should not be eaten past their prime because they can harbor bacteria that can be dangerous to your body, This is caused by the natural breakdown of organic matter. You'll also be able to tell that these foods have gone bad based on their appearance and smell.

Good news: Shelf-stable canned goods are safe more or less indefinitely, lasting up to five years or more according to the USDA.

Are Foods Safe to Eat After the Date Passes? With an exception of infant formula (described below), if the date passes during home storage, a product should still be safe and wholesome if handled properly until the time spoilage is evident (Chill: Refrigerate Promptly).

"As long as they're kept properly refrigerated at 40°F or lower, fresh eggs are safe to eat four to five weeks beyond the carton's Julian date," Maloberti says.

Will I be OK if I ate expired food? ›

You can get food poisoning from expired foods if they are spoiled or contaminated, so it really depends on what you're eating and exactly how expired it is. Perishable foods such as meat, eggs, fruits, and vegetables are more likely to make you sick.

The time it takes food poisoning symptoms to start can vary. Illness often starts in about 1 to 3 days. But symptoms can start any time from 30 minutes to 3 weeks after eating contaminated food. The length of time depends on the type of bacteria or virus causing the illness.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture notes that most food is safe even after such dates unless “spoilage is evident.” Given the lack of clarity about what these dates mean, many consumers employ a “when in doubt, throw it out” strategy.

FSA guidance for households on use-by dates includes: never eat food after the use-by date, even if it looks and smells ok. it is safe to eat food until midnight on the use-by date shown on a product, but not after, unless the food has been cooked or frozen.

While each carton of eggs is marked with an expiration date, if properly stored at 40°F or lower, they should be safe to eat for longer—usually two to three weeks past the expiration date. If you need healthy recipes to use up the eggs in your refrigerator, try one of these delicious egg recipes.

Therefore, if the "best-by" date has passed, you might still be able to eat the greens—but they might not have the same quality, taste, and freshness as before, says Havern. "If the leaves still look firm and [there's] no visible deterioration of the leaf tissue, you can still use them," Worobo says.

"If it is stored in a safe manner, it's usually going to be okay after a use-by, best by or best-before date. It does not mean that that food is unsafe," said Registered Dietitian Sarah Barnes, who is the assistant professor of nutrition at La Salle University.