Waste Not ....

I see there's a programme on ITV this evening about 'use by' dates on food and in it there is an experiment about how long you can still go on eating said foods - presumably before being rather unwell.  I'll be interested to see what conclusions they come to.  With the current huge increases in the price of food it makes sense to waste as little as possible.

Because I have to shop little and often - not having the use of a car nor a freezer - I'm lucky in that I don't do a huge weekly shop and so can just buy for the next couple of days or so.  That way, in theory, less food should get wasted.  I do always check the dates on chilled foods that I buy because sometimes old stock has been over-looked and I don't want to end up buying something on that day's date unless it has been heavily discounted. I don't worry too much when certain items in the fridge get past their 'use by' dates.  If it's cheese I ignore the 'use by' date anyway and would just cut off any dodgy-looking bits and eat the rest, although as I LURVE cheese, it rarely reaches it's 'use by' date anyway.  Milk or cream I'm happy to use up if they're a day or so past the date - as long as they still smell alright.  I'd be a lot more careful with chicken, pork or fish, but I don't tend to buy much of those anyway.  I was once the secretary to a Consultant Psychiatrist who was incredibly frugal.  She was happily regailing us one lunchtime with the fact that she had yogurts in her fridge that had had an October use by date, this was close to Christmas, and that she had every intention of still eating them!!  It fair put me off my sandwiches. 

For items without anything as strict as a 'use by' date I tend to keep on using them until they're completely disgusting - or growing their own culture.  Fruit that's seen better days gets used up in a fresh fruit salad, eating apples that have gone a bit soft are used as baked apples.  Any veggies that have seen better days get used up in making savoury rice or a veggie curry.  The heel ends of bread which are too dry even for toasting get cut up small and put out for the birds. 

As for 'best before' dates - well, those I totally ignore.  We keep on eating said item until it's finished.  I've only recently finished up a bottle of HP sauce that had a July 2003 'best before' date.  It was fine, although not as spicy as the new one that replaced it. 

Comments

[Gill]

I hate waste, I'm usually careful to just buy what I need but inevitably I'm left with some food and I have to confess I've been guilty of throwing it all away in the past. Now I can't afford to do that, blimey haven't food prices rocked?!I try and use up food before buying again now, I'm thinking that shopping more often may help 'cos I'll buy food as I need it then. Difficult when time is tight but worth a try maybe.We should rely on our eyes/ears and noses to tell us if food is "off", most foods are pretty safe beyond the use by date, I'd be careful with chicken/pork/fish but properly cooked they would be safe several days beyond the use by date (well I'd eat them!)
Gill

[Claire]

I'd waited until I'd seen the programme to comment - part of me was grossed out by the "freegan" guy, but then I detest waste - if my veg is going off I freeze it to put in something later, as all frozen food has a different texture. I have been known to play russian roulette with dates too - every time my friend comes over I have to stop her doing some "fridge archeology" on me! Thought provoking stuff eh?