Any overseas military here.......commissary question

[Sleepy]

I have been here for almost a year and the one thing that bothers me more than any other is the expiration dates on food items. Something simple like a jar of Miracle Whip expires within a month. (what I bought yesterday says June 13 and that was after searching every jar on the shelf). Hot dogs and lunch meat within 2 weeks. Often times, all the milk on the shelf expires within 3 days. It's bad enough that we have to spend time shopping, but we waste double the amount of time searching for expiration dates on ALL food items....even the boxed stuff. Anyone else having this problem?

 

[SnowAngel]

I have noticed this. Have you sent in a complaint?
I sometimes just buy off the economy. Much easier and can be cheaper and taste even better

 

[Sleepy]

Yes, I do buy off the economy, but there are things I like to eat that they just don't offer. No, I have not complained, because I figured it would do no good. Was just wondering if other overseas locations dealt with expiration dates like ours.

 

[ToriLammy]

It's been a while since I was stationed overseas but I do remember when we were at RAF Lakenheath there were lots of things in the commissary close to (or even past) their "Use by" date. I remember that Pillsbury biscuits were kept in the freezer section because that extended their "use by" date.

I do think that you will find that this is common at most overseas locations and it has to do with the way things are shipped (by boat) in order to keep the prices down.

 

[wide awake]

It has been a long time since we were overseas too, but I remember lots of past date stuff...the biggie was the surplus cheese that we got 6 months after the people that were entitled to it refused it...it was great cheese, no problem with it, perfect for sandwiches, cheese and crackers, and mac and cheese...anyone else at Ramstein in the 80s remember this ? I know in Iceland in 93-94 they always had past date Home Pride bread in the freezer section...ICK !!! The Icelandic bakeries delivered fresh bread of all types to the commissary 6 days a week...and most of the customers bought the nasty Home Pride which I wouldn't buy if I could get it fresh.

 

[tiggerlover]

After 8-1/2 years in Italy we were used to it, didn't like it, but really had no choice for certain items. There are inspectors that inspect the food brought into the commissary (when I was in Naples, it was the head officer of the Vet Clinic who was in charge of the food inspections) and all items that were near or past their expiration dates had to have approval from the inspector before it could be on the commissary shelves. Some foods can not be used past their exp. date, but many have a window where the food is still able to be sold. Also, a lot of the problem with the milk in Naples is that it comes from Germany and so it is longer in transit, we noticed when we lived in northern Italy (and were closer to Germany) that the milk had a longer expiration time. We did find some really good fresh milk on the local economy that was very much like american milk and we used it whenever we couldn't get to the commissary.

One of my biggest pet peeves in Italy was not being able to get fresh american white bread, all of it was pre-frozen and was the pits.

 

[Sleepy]

One of my biggest pet peeves in Italy was not being able to get fresh american white bread, all of it was pre-frozen and was the pits.

You got that right! Most of the time it is STILL frozen on the shelf!

 

[TimandAmandaMay]

I have been here for almost a year and the one thing that bothers me more than any other is the expiration dates on food items. Something simple like a jar of Miracle Whip expires within a month. (what I bought yesterday says June 13 and that was after searching every jar on the shelf). Hot dogs and lunch meat within 2 weeks. Often times, all the milk on the shelf expires within 3 days. It's bad enough that we have to spend time shopping, but we waste double the amount of time searching for expiration dates on ALL food items....even the boxed stuff. Anyone else having this problem?

I'm moving to the naval base in Naples in Dec. I'm trying to find out what kind of dog food they sell there so I can get my dogs switched over...can you PLEASE help me? I'd really appreciate it! I'll treat you to dinner when I get there!!

Thank You,
Amanda

Please email me at Timandamandamay@gmail.com

 

[rparmfamily]

Ahh yes the frozen bread,etc.

You just have to shop more often and really pay attention to the dates.

We were in Sig. Now we are in Pearl Harbor. LOVED our time in Italy and wish we could go back!

 

[Kim10110]

I actually got done w/ a tour in turkey about a year ago and i know EXACTLY what you mean. It was so frustrating. I am a date kind of person if it says its expired it goes in the trash. I landed up having my mom send some stuff. good luck.

 

[claytonj20]

I just returned from a year in South Korea and to be honest my experience was the exact oposite. Kind of made me wonder how wonder bread can last for two months...or what was in the milk I was drinking that made it good for the next 90 days, AFTER I bought it when it had already been shipped from the states and shuttled through all of the points it has to go through to get to the northern part of South Korea...