Expiration date on can food/items - The DIS Discussion Forums

E-orLover · 11-24-2009, 05:29 PM

This is so embarrasing

. So I just cleaned out my pantry, guessing I haven't done that in about 3 yrs; As I have cans of food that expirated 3yrs ago. I can't believe at the amount of food I took out of my pantry. I seriously can't and don't want to throw all this food away but what else to I do with it

. Just get over it and throw it away? Food items range from: vegs, fruits, tomatoe sauce/paste, beans (baked/refired), pasta noodles, soup, broths. None of the cans have expanded.

Thanks for your help.

camlace · 11-24-2009, 05:37 PM

Unfortunately I would just throw it away. A food pantry wouldn't even take it. I have worked in afew different food bank distribution centers and there are certain guidelines for how far past the expiration they can keep something (varies depending on the item)...but the longest time past the expiration was 6 months. Everything else gets tossed.

TwoRoos · 11-24-2009, 05:44 PM

As hard as it would be to do, I would throw it out. Three years past expiration is too long in my opinion to eat it. If it makes you feel better, set it aside and throw it out slowly!

And don't donate it. We have some people who donate expired food to our church pantry. I guess it makes them feel less wasteful. But we can't give expired food out to people we're helping. So it just makes more work for us to throw it away.

chocovrdmicears · 11-24-2009, 05:45 PM

Anything that is 3 years past the expiration date definately needs to be tossed!

GaSleepingBeautyFan · 11-24-2009, 05:59 PM

I did that last fall and found tons of expired stuff too. I just ditched it since I didn't want anyone to get sick from it.

Now once a month, I go thru the pantry and make sure the stuff that's close to being expired gets used.

edk35 · 11-24-2009, 06:30 PM

Chunk it and DON"T LOOK BACK.

It is all good. Your health is much more important and if you didn't use them 3 years ago.....do you really need them?

lindsmom · 11-24-2009, 06:41 PM

While I was visiting my parents last spring, I went through their cabinets, and I couldn't get over the expiration dates

I think the record was seven years (and I thought they only had owned the place for five

)

I threw it all out (about 3 trash bags due to the weight), and then I didn't have to worry about them going to the hospital due to eating rotten food. I agree with PP's who say just toss it and mark it up to lesson learned!

mickeymaker2003 · 11-24-2009, 06:45 PM

I'd eat the pasta and the non-cream soups and canned stuff... but I'm adventurous like that :-)

chocovrdmicears · 11-24-2009, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mickeymaker2003

I'd eat the pasta and the non-cream soups and canned stuff... but I'm adventurous like that :-)

I am all for adventure...but is getting deathly sick from a $1.00 can of soup that is 3 years old really a risk you are willing to take!

Shagley · 11-24-2009, 07:16 PM

I hate it too when I see how much stuff I have in my pantry that is expired. Now I just look through the pantry every week on garbage day and check the dates of 3 or 4 different items that I am not sure about. That way I don't have to see all at once how much money I have wasted on food I didn't eat. Just last week I decided to bake some cupcakes, so I pulled out a cake mix that was in the pantry. It had expired in 2003

KKB · 11-24-2009, 08:09 PM

IF you have opened them, they can grow toxic mold if kept after the expiration date.
NOT a concern if you haven't opened it yet.
NOT a concern if before the expiration date.
I clean out my pantry EVERY fall, sending things that are close to expiring to the food bank.
CONFESSION...I go thru MIL's cupboard every time I visit...8 year old salad dressing in the fridge is her record. YUK. AND she doesn't work--she has the time AND the money--she should not have all this expired stuff! (I just throw a few cans out each time so she doesn't notice!!!)

TwoRoos · 11-24-2009, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KKB

CONFESSION...I go thru MIL's cupboard every time I visit...8 year old salad dressing in the fridge is her record. YUK. AND she doesn't work--she has the time AND the money--she should not have all this expired stuff! (I just throw a few cans out each time so she doesn't notice!!!)

Love it!!

Reagan&Co. · 11-24-2009, 08:50 PM

Don't be embarrassed! I bet we all have expired stuff laying around.....

lindsmom · 11-24-2009, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KKB

NOT a concern if you haven't opened it yet.

Assuming you mean breads and cake mixes (your title)... I once opened pancake mix (I'm pretty sure it's similar ingredients) that was past code, but I thought "it hasn't been opened, so it should be fine" but as I mixed it up, I noticed teeny black specks in the mix - bugs! Ick!

E-orLover · 11-24-2009, 10:07 PM

Thank you for all the replies. I'm glad 99.9% of you agree with my original plan. I have NEVER had expired food like this.

Well I wrote everything in my pantry down along with their expiration dates. Printed two copies out. Taped a copy to the door of the pantry and the other one to a cupboard door in the kitchen (to help remind me of what is downstairs in the pantry). is this a good idea?

Can anyone offer some more tips for me?

11-24-2009, 05:29 PM	#1
E-orLover "People who don't think probably don't have brains; rather, they have grey fluff that's blown into "their heads by mistake." Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lynnwood, WA Posts: 111	Expiration date on can food/items This is so embarrasing. So I just cleaned out my pantry, guessing I haven't done that in about 3 yrs; As I have cans of food that expirated 3yrs ago. I can't believe at the amount of food I took out of my pantry. I seriously can't and don't want to throw all this food away but what else to I do with it. Just get over it and throw it away? Food items range from: vegs, fruits, tomatoe sauce/paste, beans (baked/refired), pasta noodles, soup, broths. None of the cans have expanded. Thanks for your help. __________________ Casey Me DH DS 11 DS 7

11-24-2009, 05:44 PM	#3
TwoRoos Mouseketeer Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 335	As hard as it would be to do, I would throw it out. Three years past expiration is too long in my opinion to eat it. If it makes you feel better, set it aside and throw it out slowly! And don't donate it. We have some people who donate expired food to our church pantry. I guess it makes them feel less wasteful. But we can't give expired food out to people we're helping. So it just makes more work for us to throw it away. __________________ Me, dh, dd (7), dd (3) October 2007: Pop Century Nov/Dec 2008: Pop Century May 2009: Contemporary--Magic Kingdom view October 2009: Wilderness Lodge

11-24-2009, 05:59 PM	#5
GaSleepingBeautyFan DIS Veteran Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Georgia Posts: 2,738	I did that last fall and found tons of expired stuff too. I just ditched it since I didn't want anyone to get sick from it. Now once a month, I go thru the pantry and make sure the stuff that's close to being expired gets used. __________________ Me DD10 DS14 DH Connie WDW: 12 family trips, 1 solo trip US/IOA: 4 family trips

11-24-2009, 06:30 PM	#6
edk35 "Can I offer you a membership?" DD's future job??? Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Maryland and Disney Vacation Club Posts: 5,597	Chunk it and DON"T LOOK BACK. It is all good. Your health is much more important and if you didn't use them 3 years ago.....do you really need them? __________________ July 09 POLY/BCV/AKV Jan. 09 OKW Nov. 08 SSR/ASM MVMCP July 08 OKW/BCV Jan. 08 SOG Nov. 07 SSR MVMCP Aug. 07 SSR/BWV P&PP Jan. 07 SOG BECAME DVC MEMBERS!!! Nov. 05 SOG/CSR Jan. 05 SOG Nov. 02 CR May 98 Poly May 95 SOG Dec. 93 CR Dec. 92 CBR July 92 Dixie Landing First Family Trip Off Site 87,86,82 (Single With Friends)

11-24-2009, 06:41 PM	#7
lindsmom DIS Veteran Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 1,283	While I was visiting my parents last spring, I went through their cabinets, and I couldn't get over the expiration dates I think the record was seven years (and I thought they only had owned the place for five ) I threw it all out (about 3 trash bags due to the weight), and then I didn't have to worry about them going to the hospital due to eating rotten food. I agree with PP's who say just toss it and mark it up to lesson learned! __________________ Please do not be offended if I don't respond to your post. I lose track of where I've been, even on DISboards Feel free to PM me!

11-24-2009, 05:37 PM	#2
camlace DIS Veteran Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 635	Unfortunately I would just throw it away. A food pantry wouldn't even take it. I have worked in afew different food bank distribution centers and there are certain guidelines for how far past the expiration they can keep something (varies depending on the item)...but the longest time past the expiration was 6 months. Everything else gets tossed.

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11-24-2009, 05:45 PM	#4
chocovrdmicears DIS Veteran Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 2,723	Anything that is 3 years past the expiration date definately needs to be tossed!

11-24-2009, 06:45 PM	#8
mickeymaker2003 DIS Veteran Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Central IL Posts: 889	I'd eat the pasta and the non-cream soups and canned stuff... but I'm adventurous like that :-)

11-24-2009, 07:16 PM	#10
Shagley If you don't move when I say "beep beep", I will run you down. Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Central Illinois Posts: 1,104	I hate it too when I see how much stuff I have in my pantry that is expired. Now I just look through the pantry every week on garbage day and check the dates of 3 or 4 different items that I am not sure about. That way I don't have to see all at once how much money I have wasted on food I didn't eat. Just last week I decided to bake some cupcakes, so I pulled out a cake mix that was in the pantry. It had expired in 2003 __________________ Shagley Tucker Sneaky Pete Jammers

11-24-2009, 08:09 PM	#11
KKB DIS Veteran Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 1,674	REALLY watch expiration date of bread/cake mixes IF you have opened them, they can grow toxic mold if kept after the expiration date. NOT a concern if you haven't opened it yet. NOT a concern if before the expiration date. I clean out my pantry EVERY fall, sending things that are close to expiring to the food bank. CONFESSION...I go thru MIL's cupboard every time I visit...8 year old salad dressing in the fridge is her record. YUK. AND she doesn't work--she has the time AND the money--she should not have all this expired stuff! (I just throw a few cans out each time so she doesn't notice!!!) __________________ Kris 12/24/05 Disney Magic E. Caribbean (w/ DH's family) 10/20-10/28/07 WDW POP (w/ my family) 9/5-9/13/09 WDW POP (same crew...plus my dad!w/ FREE DDP!! WOO HOO!)

11-24-2009, 08:50 PM	#13
Reagan&Co. Mouseketeer Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 496	Don't be embarrassed! I bet we all have expired stuff laying around..... __________________ Me DH DD12 DS7 September 2006 POP First trip!!! May 2007 POP October 2009 POP Free Dining!!! Summer 2010 Harry Potter awaits!!

11-24-2009, 10:07 PM	#15
E-orLover "People who don't think probably don't have brains; rather, they have grey fluff that's blown into "their heads by mistake." Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lynnwood, WA Posts: 111	Thank you for all the replies. I'm glad 99.9% of you agree with my original plan. I have NEVER had expired food like this. Well I wrote everything in my pantry down along with their expiration dates. Printed two copies out. Taped a copy to the door of the pantry and the other one to a cupboard door in the kitchen (to help remind me of what is downstairs in the pantry). is this a good idea? Can anyone offer some more tips for me? __________________ Casey Me DH DS 11 DS 7

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