I've always been the one to check the expiration dates on items I, or my kids, may potentially eat. I'm not going to eat something that has gone too far beyond that date in bold. My thoughts are they, the manufacturers, put a date on the product for a reason. Sometimes it's because it would simply taste a little better before that date and other times the date means don't consume it for other reasons. I don't know, maybe it could turn rancid or turn into other things.
My husband, on the other hand, was apparently born in the 30's. He swears that date is stamped on the product to speed up your purchases. It's a conspiracy. The date to him means nothing regarding whether a product is good or bad.
What originally set me on my path to "eating more cautiously," as I like to call it, began many years ago. My parents had the same attitude my husband does. Growing up, I use to think it was completely disgusting to find a food item that had expired the previous year. Since then the years have started piling up and so have the expired products.
Just recently my retired parents went away on a much longed for trip. They would be gone an extended amount of time. I don't live nearby but my brother does. He happens to feel the same way I do about expiration dates. Over the holidays, when I'm back in town, we make a game out of finding the oldest prepackaged food. We usually hit pay dirt at least twice during the week.
Today he stopped by mom and dad's place to check on a few things while they were gone. They needed him to make doubly sure that nothing was left in the fridge, or other places, that could go bad or had already turned that corner. Amazing isn't it? While he was helping out he thought he'd play a solo game of "It's Expired!" He began poking around and not too long after that I received a text with pictures. Following is what he came up with
Pesto from 2006 |
Peppermint Extract from...... drum roll please....... 1966 !!! |
I almost peed my pants from laughing so hard. My parents would have just said,"Oh Pam," as in "Good grief. What is the big deal?" Really, I guess it's not a big deal as long as I don't have to eat it:)
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