Meat going bad before date

[PollyannaMom]

Twice in the last month, I've had meat go bad before the sell by date. My fridge seems cold enough, and nothing else is going bad but the occasional left-too-long fruit.

Is this one of those things where you're supposed to keep things in a certain spot in the fridge?

(Or should I just assume my grocery store is not packing it well enough, and buy meat at the other one?)

 

[NYCgrrl]

Twice in the last month, I've had meat go bad before the sell by date. My fridge seems cold enough, and nothing else is going bad but the occasional left-too-long fruit. Is this one of those things where you're you're supposed to keep things in a certain spot in the fridge?

The coldest spot in the average refrigerator is the back of shelf just above the vegetable bin. Just a question ...how are you judging that the meat has gone bad prior to expiration date?
I ask because those "meat nappies" placed at the bottom of the store containers can throw you off scent.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I was going by scent!

 

[NYCgrrl]

I was going by scent!

KK and that's good!
I throw away the original meat wrapping from the supermarket (but not the butcher shop) because that Styrofoam diaper type pad holds too many juices that confuse my nose. If you are getting the meat from the same shop w/ this problem consistently happening and the meat is stored properly I'd bring it back in my bestest "Bring on the manager" manner. Sometimes my opprobrium even works over the phone saving me a return trip.

 

[Disneylover99]

I look at the expiry date when I buy it, but If I buy raw meat, I either cook it or freeze it right away, no matter what the date says. I don't like to take a chance, especially with chicken.

 

[DLgal]

More likely, your supermarket is lying about how old the meat is. They change the labels all the time. I never use "sell by" date. I buy based on what looks freshest, then cook it that day or immediately put it in the freezer.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Twice in the last month, I've had meat go bad before the sell by date. My fridge seems cold enough, and nothing else is going bad but the occasional left-too-long fruit.

Is this one of those things where you're supposed to keep things in a certain spot in the fridge?

(Or should I just assume my grocery store is not packing it well enough, and buy meat at the other one?)

Don't rely on seems cold enough or the internal thermometer of your fridge if yours has one. Get yourself a thermometer and verify that temperature.

 

[PollyannaMom]

Don't rely on seems cold enough or the internal thermometer of your fridge if yours has one. Get yourself a thermometer and verify that temperature.

It's funny - that's what I first tried to do. But then I realized the thermometer I had was scaled to verify the oven, not the fridge!

 

[UncleMike101]

Twice in the last month, I've had meat go bad before the sell by date. My fridge seems cold enough, and nothing else is going bad but the occasional left-too-long fruit.

Is this one of those things where you're supposed to keep things in a certain spot in the fridge?

(Or should I just assume my grocery store is not packing it well enough, and buy meat at the other one?)

As stated by others the store may be "fudging" on sell by dates to avoid taking a loss of expensive meat products.
An off smell from Pork or Chicken means a trip to the garbage dump.
IMO all sausages and all "luncheon loaf" meats should look and smell fresh since they are a ground product and could have unfriendly bacteria/germs mixed throughout the product which are not a threat until they've had a chance to multiply over time.
Beef, on the other hand can have a dark color and give off a slightly "funky" smell and still be perfectly good.
If you've ever been in the Aging Room of a quality steak house you'd know exactly what I mean.
The beef in those places has a strong smell and is usually covered in a layer of dark dry meat, or even mold in the case of an extremely long aging process.
Trimming off the offending layer is standard procedure which reduces the amount of edible meat product left behind and results in the high prices for Aged Steaks in a top of the line restaurant.

 

[firefly_ris]

If it's before a clearly printed date, you should be able to return it to the grocery store and get your money back.

 

[WorldWalker18]

I cringe when’s I spot a package of meat that someone has ditched on a shelf when they change their mind. I wonder how many are returned to the meat case after “aging” in the cereal aisle...

 

[morgan98]

This is a topic that I am paranoid about after having issues. I bought chicken at a Whole Foods near prior old house more than three times and it was bad. This was opening the day of purchase. Because of that, I will never buy any chicken at WF again. They say you can ask for a refund, bring it back, etc. but I am not driving around with rotten chicken. However, twice I had a meltdown at customer service the next week and they gave me a gift card.

I am paranoid about meat, now, mostly chicken. I will only buy it dated 6 or more days out and at my Publix I ask them to get me newer chicken from the meat lockers. I have never had a problem now for almost four years.

OP, did the bad meat come from the same store? I am convinced it is a store issue, like previous people have said. I think different stores are run my different people and some meat departments really push the envelope.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I cringe when’s I spot a package of meat that someone has ditched on a shelf when they change their mind. I wonder how many are returned to the meat case after “aging” in the cereal aisle...

Ewww - I hand't even thought of that!

 

[Kitty 34]

Ewww - I hand't even thought of that!

I never look at the date when buying the meat at the store but boy do I use my nose when opening to use!! Same with milk and btw I have had two half gallons recently go bad on me several days before their expiration date!! Again I used my nose for those.

 

[tvguy]

What kind of meat? Raw beef, especially freshly ground beef, even freshly butchered beef, doesn't smell very good. I know some stores stopped selling in store ground beef because the smell during grinding was offensive to the butchers!
Certainly get a thermometer to check your fridge temperature.
A friend worked at a specialty store. They never hesitated in taking meat back if a customer wasn't satisfied. And that meat usually went home to an employee.

 

[debknight]

I cringe when’s I spot a package of meat that someone has ditched on a shelf when they change their mind. I wonder how many are returned to the meat case after “aging” in the cereal aisle...

There's a special place in the afterworld for people who do that.

 

[PollyannaMom]

What kind of meat?

This time is was thin-sliced chicken breasts. Last time, I think it was stew beef??

 

[Skippy918]

I only refrigerate my meat if I am using it that day or the next, otherwise I freeze it.

 

[Cubbiecakes]

If it's not going to be used within 2 days, it gets frozen immediately. I can't even begin to think of the nastiness of meat left in a fridge for more than a day or two. EW.

 

[lorijohnhill]

It could also be that the store is not refrigerating properly upon delivery.