Contrary to popular belief, expiration dates or "best before" dates for foods are not really a reliable way to tell if they are still good. In fact, for food safety, they are usually aimed at retailers, not necessarily consumers. They let supermarkets know the date by which the product must be sold or taken off the shelf. So scratch the expiration date and use your sight and smell instead. When it comes to sifting through your inventory of groceries at home, you only need a small amount of knowledge to determine whether something should be thrown away or kept.
Butter The absolute best way to store butter is on the counter at room temperature, when the butter is soft and spreadable. But you might be wondering:won't it spoil? Room temperature butter can go bad, but it will take about two weeks. And if it's spoiled, you'll know because it'll taste a bit musty with a sour smell.
Bread
Whether you bake your own bread or buy one from the supermarket, everyone needs to know when it's time to throw it away. Bread from the supermarket is good for two to three days, but it can also be consumed afterwards as long as there is no mold growth. You will usually see a fuzzy, green growth on bread, so it's easy to tell when it's time to throw it away.
Eggs
This may be something your parents taught you:When an egg is bad, it floats in water, and when it's good, it sinks to the bottom. There is actually a kernel of truth in it. If an egg floats, it means it's old, but before you throw it away, check one more time to make sure it's really spoiled. Break the egg into a bowl and check it for a bad smell or unusual appearance before deciding to use or throw it away. A spoiled egg will have a foul odor if you break open the shell, whether raw or cooked.
Milk
The best way to tell if milk has gone bad is usually through your senses. Some common signs of spoiled milk include a thick or lumpy texture, discoloration and a pungent, sour odor that you notice right away when you open the carton.
Ice cream
Usually, ice cream doesn't stay in the freezer long enough to spoil, but you still need to know what to look for just in case. Unopened ice can be stored for two to three months after the expiration date on the package. And a sign of spoiled ice is small ice shards on top of the ice and under the lid, which is sometimes okay when it's just starting out. But very quickly the ice cream can become sticky and sticky - that means you shouldn't eat it.
Hard cheese
Hard cheese like Parmesan or Pecorino lasts much longer than soft cheese like mozzarella. You can tell if hard cheeses have gone bad if there is deep mold throughout the block. If hard cheese only has mold spots, you can remove the mold (at least 2.5 cm around and under the mold) and wrap the rest in fresh cling film.
Soft cheese
For soft cheeses such as cream cheese, cottage cheese, mozzarella, etc., any mold growth is reason enough to throw away. This also applies to bags of shredded cheese – if you see mold inside, throw it away.
Raw red meat
If you have a few slices of red meat in the fridge but haven't gotten around to preparing them, you might want to check to see if they're still fit to use. And don't be alarmed if you see discoloration, as can happen with refrigerated meat. But if you smell a bad odor in addition to the color change and find that the meat feels sticky or slimy, it's time to throw it away.
Onions If you don't keep your onions in a wicker basket, away from the fridge, you're doing it wrong. Onions should be kept in well-ventilated areas, away from moisture. So if you see moisture and soft spots, it could be a sign that your supply of onions is going bad.
Garlic
Always buy whole, unpeeled garlic bulbs – they not only taste fresher, but also last longer. (If you're buying peeled garlic because you hate peeling it, try these garlic peeling tips. To see if your garlic has gone bad, look for dark spots, signs of rot or green spots.You can also crush the garlic and if it feels too soft, throw it away.
Fish
Raw fish can only be kept in the refrigerator for a few days. Once cooked, your fish can keep in the refrigerator for two to three days. Frozen store-bought uncooked fish can last four to six months. Signs of spoilage include a slimy coating growing on the fish, an extra fishy stench, or any sign of discoloration. For example, salmon can get dark or white spots if it is no longer good.
Chicken
There is plenty to do with leftover chicken. If you have a lot to spare, keep in mind that cooked chicken should generally be thrown away after about three days, when bacteria will start to grow. Otherwise, look for a sour smell or a slimy, mushy texture, which indicates that the chicken has gone bad.
Meats Sliced meats like turkey, ham or salami are great to have on hand, but they don't last the longest in the fridge. If the meats have a foul odor, throw them away immediately. As a general rule of thumb, make sure you eat processed meats within three to five days of opening the package. Except, for example, roast beef and filet americain, which you have to eat within two days.
Mayonnaise Mayonnaise can be found in just about every household, and while it keeps well in the refrigerator for a long time, there are a few things to keep in mind to know if it's gone bad. When it goes bad, mayonnaise will start to look a bit more yellow instead of the normal creamy white color and will become more lumpy than usual. Another notable sign is mold, and you should always throw away the entire jar if there are any traces of it.
Pizza
Pizza, like most prepared foods, should not be kept outside the refrigerator for more than two hours. After that point, there is a risk of bacteria growing. But once in the fridge, you can enjoy leftover pizza for up to four days. The same rules apply to both delivery and homemade pizza.
Takeaway
The rules for takeaway are similar to the rules for most homemade leftovers. Make sure not to leave it at room temperature for more than two hours. After that, the food is usually good for about three days. Watch out for signs of spoilage – mold, an odor or a slimy film.
Canned fish
Canned fish can be consumed up to three years after the pack date. But if you open the can and smell a foul odor or notice discoloration, don't eat it.
Canned soup With some canned soup you can make delicious and quick meals for a cozy evening indoors. Canned soup is good for two to three years from the packaging date. As with canned fish, discard the cans if there is an unpleasant odor.
Yogurt Yogurt is generally good to eat seven days past its expiration date, and sometimes much longer. The easiest way to tell if yogurt has gone bad is by smelling a sour odor or detecting mold growth. Another indicator of spoiled yogurt is a lumpy texture.
Fruits
Fresh fruit can keep for days, depending on the type of fruit and the exterior. The signs of overripe fruit vary depending on the fruit. Bananas are a special case, because overripe bananas can be made into banana bread, for example. But fruits like apples, pears and oranges become too mushy, brown and can develop mold. Bug holes can also indicate that another critter has chewed the fruit before you, meaning you should throw it away.
Berries Strawberries, blueberries and other berries get wrinkly if they are stored too long. And if you see mold growing, throw the whole box away right away. If you know you won't be using all your berries before they go bad, put them in the freezer for smoothies.
Herbs
There are two kinds of herbs:soft herbs and hard herbs. Soft herbs have a pliable, soft stem, such as mint, coriander, or basil [that's one of the foods you should never keep in the fridge]. Hard herbs include rosemary, oregano, and thyme, which have tougher stems that you can break. For soft herbs, you can tell they're spoiled when the leaves turn slimy, wilted, and blacken. When hard herbs go bad, the leaves usually dry out and turn from green to yellow or brown.
Leaf greens and broccoli
When most vegetables start to spoil, they become less green and more yellow. This is usually the case with broccoli, kale and celery, but it can also apply to other fresh vegetables.
Rice
Uncooked rice will easily last a year or two once opened, and cooked rice has quite a long life too. Leftover cooked rice is perfectly safe to eat for four to six days after being refrigerated and can even be stored outside the refrigerator for a few days if the room temperature is cool. But if the cooked rice looks dry or crunchy, throw it away.
