I suspected this to be True, the Use By Dates.

I like Brown Cow Yogurt and mostly buy it at Whole Foods...Don't eat a lot but from tine to time.

I just ate a small container of Cherry Vanilla and Use By Date was Sept 2022 and it's Dec 8 2022 right now. The yogurt was delish and just fine.

Don't rush to throw out foods that are past the Use By Date. Do a taste test and know that most foods have preservatives regardless for shelf life.

Be smart as all foods are different and some have little preservatives and some have more.

I use those dates mostly to make sure I'm buying products with the longest possible shelf life.

Today at the store was looking over bundles of celery. One was dated yesterday, several were dated by this coming Monday. And digging way in the back, I found one with a fuse 8 days long....so to me it seemed a no brainer.

I've also found with canned foods, some really take on a metallic taste after a long time. So it's not always "safety" motivating me.
But generally when shopping, the time it takes to date-check seems worthwhile to me.

I found a small can of hersheys chocolate syrup STILL ON THE FLOOR with an expiration of 12/14 (2014) and it was 2017 if I remember right and it tasted quite good!!

USE BY DATES ARE MOSTLY SCAMS!!!!

Some dates are use by, some are sell by--it's confusing. And spring water with one of those dates? Water goes bad? Maybe they worry about the plastic leeching into the water.

I agree with GJ--for something like bread, I will look for the farthest-out date. I don't stand there for 10 minutes, but I'll look at a couple.

Soda pop is one thing that I believe deserves attention paid to the freshness date, not because it "spoils" but because it's flavor changes over time. I usually buy 2 liter bottles and my experience is that by the freshness date it's frequently already too late.

Bags of Pork rinds too. Not that they "spoil", rather the fat they are fried in just becomes the dominant flavor over time.

I really believe these dates are one of, if not the biggest factors of food waste in the U.S., when we hear statistics on how much food -- which includes safe, edible food -- is thrown in the garbage. It's ridiculous to believe a non-perishable is now trash because a use-by date has barely gone by. Yet many agencies will throw items away for just that reason. The dates are a useful guide, but not a command to toss.

Keep in mind too that ideal to good storage environment will prolong any food's longevity, which date setting can't take into account.

So I wanted to mention that when you donate foods, be careful of a close date -- otherwise your donation is likely to go straight to a landfill, instead of into the hands of the needy.

I really believe these dates are one of, if not the biggest factors of food waste in the U.S., when we hear statistics on how much food -- which includes safe, edible food -- is thrown in the garbage. It's ridiculous to believe a non-perishable is now trash because a use-by date has barely gone by. Yet many agencies will throw items away for just that reason. The dates are a useful guide, but not a command to toss.

Keep in mind too that ideal to good storage environment will prolong any food's longevity, which date setting can't take into account.

So I wanted to mention that when you donate foods, be careful of a close date -- otherwise your donation is likely to go straight to a landfill, instead of into the hands of the needy.

I agree on the food waste, so many are just paranoid when they think a food may be spoiled or not good to eat, and throw it out. As I said I just at a yogurt with a Sept 2022 use by date and it was great. I have one more with that date and may eat it today.

Just thinking of the food waste issue, what comes to mind are the people who will not eat left overs, they can be better than the original, and these people end up being the one who teach their children how to waste, I've seen it in my relatives family ... mom had the greatest leftovers.

I'm a very poor cook, but I've learned to be a little creative with leftovers. For example, I chopped up some leftover Thanksgiving turkey finely and sprinkled it on a pizza. I ate some leftover mashed potatoes (which I'm not a big fan of) with baked fish, and stuffing went well with some chicken strips out of the oven.

In the past, I've taken leftover Christmas ham and added it into pasta dishes. Taking a cornbread dessert and re-heating it, I'll add some fruit preserves and it's good for breakfast...!

It's amazing how creative we can get with what's "left" and use some of the stuff in other foods, like soups, stews and what I'm enjoying is left over cold pizza for breakfast from the day before pizza and dipping that cold pizza in dip or spreading some sour cream on the slices. soo good.

Hey Biff, you are a hold out on your first name, wonder if we'll hear itr.

You mentioned tomatoes once, in the same way I found that the Kroger brand diced cans were 100% identical to Hunt's, under the labels, as you found with your off or store brand. The sprayed-on markings were the same on the ends.

I sent you my name, Jim, in a message once. I go by Jim, Jimmy, or Dimitri (Greek); I find my legal given name James / Demetrios to be too formal. Named after my maternal grandfather, as is the Greek custom for a 2nd son. (The 1st son is named after the paternal grandpa.)

Biff: I don't remember the name thing. Many of us pick up nick names in our lives. I looked for you on the First Name thread but I don't think you posted. Thanks.

Don't rush to throw out foods that are past the Use By Date. Do a taste test and know that most foods have preservatives regardless for shelf life.

Be smart as all foods are different and some have little preservatives and some have more.

Whenever I buy a can of ready made stew or chili, I always get the large can even when it's just for myself, because manufacturers have gotten so stingy with meat that I expect to pick the leanest meat out first while eating, and then throw away the leavings, after I am full.

Does that make me a bad person?