tranum

Many, many years ago, my home ec teacher told us don’t use old baking powder and I follow that rule. I threw out my DIL’s old baking powder when I was staying with the grandkids. I replaced it with fresh and when she returned, I told her. I don’t think she approved.

SusieQOH

Baking powder is one thing I don't keep for long. It's so inexpensive that I don't want to chance something not coming out well. As for the other stuff my husband is basically the kitchen person in our family so he takes care of the rest. I have my baking supplies in a different spot because I can never find anything. He is chaos in the kitchen lol

zennia

My son will not use something out of date. Instead, he brings it to us. Guess it's ok if it kills us--lol-. I always use it if it's still good. Can't convince him that the date is just a general idea of freshness.

Needles

I use my judgement, since 'dates' only came onboard 20 or so years ago, I learned well from my mother and grands how to tell if something was bad. As for now, it's a way of scaring people to BUY things they don't need. It's like buying new irons every few years because they are spitting. One person told me, but it says NOT to use distilled water in them. Of course it does, that way you have to buy a new one, frequently. My Proctor Silex is 50 years old, just an old cheapie, it's never had a drop of water in it that wasn't distilled. Nary a spit ever. I use it nearly every day as I sew frequently. I love that iron and my pantry.

Snooze2978

Yes, the date on the packages are for the sellers mostly. They can't sell after that date but doesn't mean its not still useable. As someone mentioned now they include ......use by such and such a date which is a good idea. When my mother was cleaning out her house and we got to her kitchen we were startled to see some items, mostly spices had an expiration date back in 1970's. We tossed them out. When my sister decided to check her spices she found some even older so tossed them out and got new. If the can is not bulging I'll keep it for another year past the date, packages depends on how it looks inside. Spices I'll keep for another year or two. I use them up pretty fast these days anyway. Milk I found I can freeze if not opened, just shake before pouring once thawed.

Onebyone

I only follow use by dates for medicines. The other food stuff I go buy taste, looks, and freshness.

ptquilts

I think they use the dates for inventory control. There is no law that says they must sell by the BB date - look at all the "scratch and dent" discount grocery store that sell out of date items. The exception is baby food which can not be sold when expired.

In the food shelf where I volunteer we accept donations up to one year "past". (except for baby food). Older than that, gets given to a pig farmer. (Donors are not told that though). We get some really old donations, even from the bins in the supermarket, which means people are bringing their old food from home for the donation bins.

Once in a while we get a donation we refer to as "Grandma went into the nursing home", as you can tell they cleaned out the cupboards of everything, old, new, opened, unopened and gave it all to us. Oh well, I guess it is the thought that counts. Oldest one I ever saw was a package of Jello pudding from 1969.

I do notice that newer products are coming through with a later date. It used to be like one year past the manufacture date, now we are seeing BB dates into 2022.

Jingle

I go by taste, smell, looks. Pickles won't spoil they are made with vinegar. What can live in that?????

wildyard

I also don't need a date to tell me if something is bad. At least I don't think I do. My adult children think it's terrible and I'm sure they will have a field day when the time comes they have to clean out my cupboards and pantry. lol

Jannie

I have had a pharmacist say that medicines are good after their expiration date. Some last longer than others. Maybe you could check to see if your pharmacist is willing to give you advice.