In this article
Each week, on the night before trash day, I clean out the refrigerator. My youngest is becoming more independent. He likes to prepare his own lunches, so removing expired food is a top priority to ensure it’s safe for him to eat. So, I’m pretty good about keeping things neat and tidy. Or so I thought.
Last week I decided to do a deeper clean and wade through the stacks of bottles and jars. So tell me why I found a bottle of Thousand Island dressing from 2017 and a six-year-old jar of maraschino cherries in there? That was an easy fix — they went straight into the trash bin.
Knowing how to read food expiration dates can be confusing. According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, 90% of Americans misinterpret what the food label expiration dates really mean. Knowing what should be tossed and what expired foods are still safe to eat isn’t too clear. If you’re wondering if the expired food in your refrigerator or pantry is safe to eat, we cover the basics to help you figure out what to toss and what to keep.
Food expiration dates
It’s not likely that any of us without professional kitchen training truly learned how to properly read food expiration dates. We probably just kind of know what food expiration dates mean based on what our mothers always did. There are general guidelines that food manufacturers use to determine food safety.
Perishables use what is known as “open dating,” which includes a concrete end date. If you’re unable to use the item in its entirety before the end date, then freezing is recommended. Purchasing a perishable item and immediately freezing it when you get home will help it stay fresh for several months after the expiration date. The same applies to frozen food expiration dates, though you may notice some difference in texture and taste if frozen for a long period of time. Often taste and texture are reflected in the “best by” date for frozen items like waffles and pizza.
Manufacturers use what is called “closed dating” for shelf-stable items. This number is primarily used internally in manufacturing facilities. Canned food expiration dates can span the course of several months. Finally, the “use by” expiration date tells consumers when the item will have reached its peak quality level.
When an item does go bad, it can be costly and frustrating. Not only are you out a potential meal, but there’s also the mess to deal with. Ensuring that expired food is handled using safety precautions to avoid cross-contamination is key.
Alexis Maycock shared with Mom.com her process. “If I do have any expired item, if it is meat or fish, I place it in a grocery bag and put in the freezer, and then put it out in the trash the next morning. I sterilize the container it was in with a little bleach and soapy water,” the mom of two explained.
How long is it good for?
We’ve all left a carton of eggs or a package of ground turkey in the car accidentally. Usually, it’s hours later when you go to grab something out of the refrigerator that you miss it.
At room temperature, a perishable item is unsafe after two hours, and in more extreme temperatures, the time frame is shorter. If it’s the middle of the summer and your eggs have been sitting in the car for an hour, you’re going to want to head back to the grocery store for a fresh carton.
According to the national Food Safety website, keeping your refrigerator at 40 degrees and your freezer at zero degrees will ensure food safety. The guidelines also clarify a mistake that many consumers make; leftover foods should be packaged up and immediately placed in the refrigerator instead of allowing them to cool on the countertop. The site also provides a Safe Storage Times Chart that illustrates the specific cold food storage limits and frozen food expiration dates.
Vegetarians may have it a bit easier in the kitchen when it comes to figuring out what to keep and what to throw away. Elle Cole can attest to this, as she tends to not purchase food items in bulk.
“Basically, the members of my household don’t eat a lot of nonperishable food,” she told Mom.com. “We are vegetarians, so my family’s diet mainly consists of fresh produce. Our produce typically goes bad within a week, so we clean out our refrigerator whenever we bring in new groceries.”
Less waste in the kitchen
It may be worth it to take time to come up with a process to ensure you’re not throwing food away each time you clean your refrigerator. Alexis suggests taking stock of the canned food and frozen food in your kitchen. This will keep you from wondering whether the expired food is safe to eat.
“Meal planning helps to ensure that we have little food waste. Leftovers are used the next day instead of cooking a new meal,” she explained. “I check my pantry and fridge FIRST before I make my grocery list and meal plan. The first meals on the meal plan center around what I already have on hand. Then I add in any new meals we may want to try.”
Katherine Bakies, vice president of nutrition affairs for American Dairy Association Mideast, said that a survey determined that Americans waste one-third of the groceries they bring into their home. “Imagine coming home with four bags of groceries and throwing one straight into the trash. That’s really what is happening in most households,” she said in an interview with Earth.com. Survey respondents reported expired food as the main reason for disposal.
