I’m never going to understand people who view expiration dates as a dare—the “I know this milk smells slightly sour and it says January 5 on the carton, but it might not make me sick so I’ll chance it” types. Those people scare me. If in doubt, throw it out is my motto and I’m not wavering. Having had food poisoning a few times, I can tell you firsthand—it’s not worth it.
Some products give you clear signs that they are past their prime. Strawberries and tomatoes grow mold. Squash and turkey get slimy. Cucumbers get squishy. Some packaging even bubbles and expands to give you a heads up. There’s no salvaging these items—they need to go!
For other items, dates aren’t quite always what they seem and become irrelevant once the package is opened. Cheese and meat, if opened, will go bad in a few days. If you look at the small print, most of these items will say to use within 3-5 days after opening. Likewise, some milk and yogurt products say they are good for a month. Don’t be fooled—once opened, most need to be used within seven days to be safe. I keep a Sharpie in my kitchen drawer and write the date I open something on the package. If I don’t intend to use it quickly, I don’t break the seal.
There are a couple of items that I am willing to revive if the expiration date hasn’t passed: tortilla chips and taco shells. These get stale easily due to exposure to humidity in your home, and there’s an easy remedy: Simply put them in a single layer on a cookie sheet in a 350-degree oven for about 3 minutes (you can check and see if you need more time) and they will crisp right up.
I’m told you can do the same thing with potato chips and cereal too, but I haven’t dared to try that yet. You go first.
