Is Food Safe to Eat Beyond the Expiration Date? Here's What an Expert Told Me

Wondering if that bag of lettuce or block of cheese in your fridge is still good? Your first instinct is probably to check the expiration date. Whether you're making dinner and unsure if one of your ingredients has gone bad, or cleaning out your refrigerator before you head off for summer vacation, you may find yourself examining food containers looking for a expiration date to guide you. But how accurate are these dates? An expiration date can be a source of stress and confusion, and that may be causing you to throw away perfectly edible food. Expiration dates are typically on the safe side, meaning your food isn't spoiled just because the date has come and gone. While you shouldn't push the limits too far, on balance, we're all tossing out more food than we should be, and it's all leading to increased food scarcity and rising costs. If you want to prevent food waste -- and keep more dollars in your pockets -- you'll want to better understand what these food expiration dates actual ... Read full article.