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Apr 1, 2008 9:23 pm US/Pacific
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Good Question: Expiration Dates
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) ―
Several viewers have written to me asking about expiration dates: How hard and fast are they? I asked Amy Johnston with Raley's Bel Air about the sell by, best by, use by… you get the picture.
"Let's talk about what you have in the cart here," Amy said. The most dangerous food to let go past its sell-by date? "Anything that's fresh meats. It's advisable to cook them and eat them or freeze them within one to two days of returning from the store."
Did you know that ground meats don't last as long in the fridge or freezer?
With canned stuff, you think maybe you have a little more leeway. "Typically they're dated for a couple of months in advance, but they're good for a couple of months afterward."
Here's a tip: Johnston says acidic foods in cans will go bad faster.
And it turns out that eggs are really incredible. "When you look at the sell-by date, they're going to be good in the fridge between three to five weeks after that date."
She warns that the taste might change. The same thing can be said for dry goods like cereal.
"They do have a listed best-by date, there may be some changes to the flavor or the aroma and other characteristics because this is the last day they can guarantee it is at the peak of freshness."
With bread, it's pretty easy, because if you open it and it's moldy it's pretty clear: the best-by date is long gone.
What about things like lunch meat? "No matter what the date says, once you open it, you only have a few days, so when in doubt, throw it out."
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