Expiration date on can food/items

[E-orLover]

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]

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]

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]

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

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

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]

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]

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]

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

 

[chocovrdmicears]

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]

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]

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]

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.]

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

 

[lindsmom]

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]

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?

 

[Mrs. Charming]

I just did the same thing... I had things that expired in 2006!! It broke my heart to throw things out, but I did what I had to do.

 

[edk35]

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?

Rotate your stuff. When you buy some canned goods that are on sale. Make sure you pull the stuff forward and put the new stuff in the back. Same thing they would do at a store. I don't stock pile so I go through my stuff however I know a lot of people bulk or stock up with good sales.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

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?

I'm jealous of your ambition!! That's a great idea!!

 

[Mickey1Fan]

I have a pantry, freezer and fridge list. I was quite tired of throwing things away. It also helps for shopping and not buying many multiples when I see a great price.

 

[QVCshopper]

I think the easiest thing to do is to not buy so much. I found this out the hard way, and it's worked much better. However, I will buy 10 soups for $1, and stock pile those. But I make sure I use it. Plus, I have more space.

I rarely throw out food now, but I did recently toss some instant coffee from 2007 (opened). It was a block super yucky!