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Food Expiration Dates, Use By and Sell By Dates: Do you pay attention to these?

W_C October 07, 2009 23:50:37

There was an interesting article on ABC about 'use by' and 'sell by' dates on food in the super markets. A study done showed that poorer areas had and sold a lot more expired foods than those in the wealthier neighborhoods. However, even if you buy the food before it's expired, not everyone uses them up. Most states don't have laws about having to have expiration dates on their food either. So, I was just wondering, are you a stickler for using food before it's "gone bad?"

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/DyeHard/eat-expired-food/Sto...
 Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.
No. I don't pay close attention to food sell by dates.
If my food smells bad, tastes bad, or looks funny-- then I pay attention.
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  • +3 raves brunetbomb October 07, 2009 23:53:55
    brunetbomb

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    Uuhh,yeah it's there for a reason.I check dates on diary products at the store but I don't go crazy if it's over a day or two if it's at home.
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  • dtremaine November 09, 2009 23:09:16
    dtremaine

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    Why would someone spend hard earned money on expired products? In fact when I'm looking I reach further back in the rack to find later dates.
    Don
  • brittany November 01, 2009 18:16:34
    brittany

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    yes. i look at the dates why wouldn't i.
  • Talon0408 October 28, 2009 12:17:14
    Talon0408

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    Ingles is the worst for selling expired food.
  • fofoguit October 09, 2009 22:26:28
    fofoguit

    If my food smells bad, tastes bad, or looks funny-- then I pay attention.

    if i am smelling or seeing something that smells or looks bad i am totally paying fully attention
  • +1 raves
    K-ZOOMI October 09, 2009 15:14:25
    K-ZOOMI

    No. I don't pay close attention to food sell by dates.

    pay close attention food sell dates
  • +1 raves
    benjaminb007 October 09, 2009 12:33:37
    benjaminb007

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    Unless you want to eat expired food, I'd pay attention to them. I know the stores do everything they can to make sure they don't sell expired food, but I check them anyways, especially the milk. The stores check the items but after all, they're humans too and mistakes happen. I don't want to get sick or die because of someone's mistake.
  • +1 raves
    swimminggirl09 October 08, 2009 22:58:21
    swimminggirl09

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    i dont pay that close of attention but i do check it when that food has been in my house for awhile or something haha
  • +1 raves
    none October 08, 2009 20:46:47
    none

    No. I don't pay close attention to food sell by dates.

    I think it depends on what you're buying.
  • +1 raves
    A Kahn October 08, 2009 19:05:10
    A Kahn

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    while buying it at the store yes, however the only ones I pay attention to at home is milk and eggs. Canned and jared stuff-as long as it is still sealed when I open it and it looks and tastes OK, who cares-no one has gotten sick or died yet.
  • +1 raves
    wolfshadow October 08, 2009 17:54:37
    wolfshadow

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    And they aren't accurate anymore for shit.

    Used to be on milk you had a few days AFTER the date before it went bad, now it's bad a day or two before the date. Bread is the same. I have seen bread with green spots the day before the expiration date... Bagged lettuce, just bought some, was bad two days before the date.

    There ought to be a law.
  • +1 raves
    TLDMAT October 08, 2009 17:25:00
    TLDMAT

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    I don't take the dates as absolutes but when I am buying something I want the freshest or longest lasting product and I use the dates to help determine that.
    Additionally when I find something in the fridge or cupboard and don't remember buying it, the dates help me to decide if I want to even risk trying it.
  • +1 raves
    Trader1 is kerbonkin' October 08, 2009 16:30:47
    Trader1 is kerbonkin'

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    I won't touch milk when it reaches it's expiration date. Everyone else in the house will still drink it if it still smells and tastes good, but I've been know to toss a whole gallon down the drain. The rest of the stuff we usually use before it's time is up.
  • +1 raves
    Scott October 08, 2009 16:07:50
    Scott

    If my food smells bad, tastes bad, or looks funny-- then I pay attention.

    I use them more as a guideline. Meats and fish I'm pretty strict on. Others can slide by a few days.
  • +1 raves
    birdman October 08, 2009 15:46:46
    birdman

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    Especially on refrigerated products and medicines. On canned goods and dry packaged goods I don't, but I avoid dented cans and damaged boxes. I always check a just-opened item anyways, because if it was stored/transported at improper temps, even something still within its freshness date can be unsafe.
  • +1 raves
    dogs voice October 08, 2009 14:39:19
    dogs voice

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    Generally I do. Especially when purchasing dairy products. I am usually not too fussy about food and drink, but if something is "off" in color, aroma, taste, texture, then I will specifically look at sell by or expiration dates. I would also like to make it a point to all readers, the Sell By and Expiration dates are not always synonomous! Most items will still be OK to comsume for up to 10 days AFTER the Sell By date. Common sense and personal judgement should be used when making a determination of edibleness.
  • +1 raves
    Brian Kemp October 08, 2009 14:23:04
    Brian Kemp

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    On certain things. Who really cares what the expiration date on a Twinkie is?
  • +1 raves
    KOKO October 08, 2009 14:16:51
    KOKO

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    Yes I pay pretty close attn. I pitch it if its to old Whats more important 5 $ pork or getting really really sick I'd rather be out a few dollars I don't like to waste I try to freeze and defrost and use on time but sometimes you get busy and we weren't home and it defrosted in the fridge to long I don't feel educated on how to use the dates wisely like on a show I seen they said eggs are good for like a month after there sell by date ??? who knows better safe than sorry if you don't know
  • +1 raves
    Denny October 08, 2009 06:18:25
    Denny

    No. I don't pay close attention to food sell by dates.

    Wife does. Example unless milk has lumps in it, it's still ok to me.
  • +1 raves
    bpress October 08, 2009 04:43:29
    bpress

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    I always look for the latest date. Usually the newest is at the back of the shelf since they want to get rid of the older dated items first.
  • +1 raves
    panda_robot October 08, 2009 04:32:56
    panda_robot

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    yea...i almost drank spoiled chocolate milk earlier...bleh. xP
  • +1 raves
    artist1963-Progressive Patr... October 08, 2009 04:31:35
    artist1963-Progressive Patriot for Change

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    I am very concerned about the safety of the food we eat and always have been, I do not need to buy tainted food and see my husband and 2 young daughters become sick or die so I check everything we buy for freshness, appearance, texture and if dates are on the food, I do pay attention to them and if the offending food has not been eaten by the cut off date, it gets tossed.
    When it comes to meat and other perishable items, I wash it first and then freeze in a thick freezer capacity bag to keep out freezer burn and most of the air in the packaging. I want what comes out my kitchen to be safe!!
  • +1 raves
    Mrs. V October 08, 2009 03:14:19
    Mrs. V

    No. I don't pay close attention to food sell by dates.

    I always test it first. Funny you should ask. I just went through my pantry today and threw away some stuff that expired in 2002. Yikes. I did open the package and look at it. It looked stale.
    If it is milk I smell it. If it is a grain, I smell it and taste it to see if it is rancid. On oils or oily products, if it smells rancid, it probably is.
  • +1 raves
    Racefish October 08, 2009 02:35:17
    Racefish

    No. I don't pay close attention to food sell by dates.

    Most of the dates are"sell by" dates. It don't mean a thing as far as nutrition.
    On the other hand, if you have a "consume or use by" date, the quality can diminish after that. I guess that's why I've always thought hamburger was green huh?
  • +1 raves
    Pilot337 October 08, 2009 02:20:38
    Pilot337

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    ...and then I make my own decision based on common sense.
  • +2 raves
    MickeyRenee~ October 08, 2009 02:17:23
    MickeyRenee~

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    Always
  • +1 raves
    Tootsie MickeyR... October 08, 2009 02:20:58
    Tootsie
    Me too total freak about them~that is why we are such good friends! Or were good friends until you started lying to me and making me think I am crazy!!! It was your sideways smiley~I DID NOT IMAGINE IT!!!! Enjoying the fall my ass~GRRRRRR!
  • +1 raves
    MickeyR... Tootsie October 08, 2009 02:22:29
    MickeyRenee~
    Tootsie.. i swear to you i didnt... are you feeling well tonight??
  • +1 raves
    Tootsie MickeyR... October 08, 2009 02:25:57
    Tootsie
  • +1 raves
    MickeyR... Tootsie October 08, 2009 02:27:13
    MickeyRenee~
    I figured it out... sent ya an email
  • +1 raves
    Hula girl October 08, 2009 02:12:07
    Hula girl

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    I have a food watch dog in the house so yes we look at dates but I also worked in cannery's and grocery stores so I have some time frame of the real date and not the sell by date as that's there time frame but there is still a stretched day after that depending on the items.
  • +1 raves
    1oct1 October 08, 2009 01:45:50
    1oct1

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    I look more at the sell by dates. I tend to not have a lot of food around to worry about. Makes it easier to not have to worry about it.
  • +1 raves
    Bico October 08, 2009 01:06:46
    Bico

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    Yeah. I'm pretty darn poor, but I do pay attention to what I eat. I also try to stay away from those argon packaged meats. I've been told they often are more spoiled than they look.
  • +1 raves
    highdesertgemini October 08, 2009 01:02:49
    highdesertgemini

    No. I don't pay close attention to food sell by dates.

    I do pay some attention, but I don't throw things away if the expiration date was yesterday!
  • +1 raves
    ๑۩۩..ßεℓℓεchεvεℓℓε®..۩۩๑Wra... October 08, 2009 00:35:57
    ๑۩۩..ßεℓℓεchεvεℓℓε®..۩۩๑Wrathful Mayor of Crazytown

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    We're totally OCD that way.
  • +1 raves
    MissQueen - American Patriot October 08, 2009 00:13:01
    MissQueen - American Patriot

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    .. and I'm often surprised that outdated food is still on the shelves... last Halloween CVS actually had some candy on the shelves from the year before!
  • +2 raves
    Lady Jules ♥♥ in Lestat I t... October 07, 2009 23:59:39
    Lady Jules ♥♥ in Lestat I trust ♥♥

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    I used to work in a grocery store...since then...I check the dates VERY carefully.
  • +2 raves
    Gaschlerjulie October 07, 2009 23:58:17
    Gaschlerjulie

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    I pay attention to the expiration dates and the use by dates because I cannot afford to be eating food that is spoiled, it can be very hazardous to my health. some foods when spoiled produce toxins that can make you very ill. When shopping I would rather be safe than sorry.
  • +3 raves
    brunetbomb October 07, 2009 23:53:55
    brunetbomb

    Yes. I pay close attention to food expiration dates and sell by dates.

    Uuhh,yeah it's there for a reason.I check dates on diary products at the store but I don't go crazy if it's over a day or two if it's at home.
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