I keep food until it smells, looks, or tastes weird.
I have yet to become ill via this policy.
One of the biggest divisions amongst people -- bigger than the Miracle Whip vs. Mayo divide -- is the Milk Date Controversy. When the date on the carton says "sell by Jan. 11," do you:
(1) pour it down the sink on Jan. 11?
Or
(2) on Jan. 11 (and also the days approaching it and, yes, even AFTER it), sniff the milk, possibly take a small test sip, and then if it smells and tastes fine, use the milk?
I have had violent arguments with people who nuke their milk from orbit as soon as the clocks ticks over to midnight on the date on the carton. (I'm obviously a #2 person.)
First of all, the date is "sell by," not "USE by." Which implies to me that the store isn't going to sell you something that is going to go bad the moment you get it out of the store; you probably have a week (probably less) after the "sell by" date to use the milk.
Second of all -- I am boggled by the people who won't even check their milk (via sniff or tasting it or making a little sibling taste it) before wasting it. Mostly because I'm cheap and hate to waste food.
So -- flame war. Let me have it. What are your positions on the Milk Date Controversy?
t edit
I should note that I'm much more judicious if the carton truly says "Use by," rather than "sell by." Although, again, I just look at the date, check the calendar, and sniff the milk before tasting it. But I've had friends who've seen me taste milk that was 1 day past the date on the carton -- whether "sell by" or "use by," who have FLIPPED OUT. Telling me I was disgusting, going to get botulism/salmonella/whatever, etc., etc.
And if it's a week past the date on the carton -- whether "sell by" or "use by," I'm probably going to dump it. A week is my limit, even if it smells okay.
I am a #2 person wrt Milk Date. But I also disregard exp. dates on OTC drugs, per my brother the pharmacist, who told me they're generally good long past the dates printed.
What are your positions on the Milk Date Controversy?
You suck, but are still right about this.
I also disregard exp. dates on OTC drugs, per my brother the pharmacist, who told me they're generally good long past the dates printed.
Heh. I disregard exp. dates on all drugs, including Rx. As long as they're pills (not liquid), because pills are dry and much less likely to degrade. Liquids, though, have inactive ingredients that will get weird.
You suck, but are still right about this.
I'm impressed you recognize my rightness despite how much you suck.
Milk Date #2. And I remember earnest explanations printed on milk cartons that the date was
only
for when the store stopped selling it, but that you were probably perfectly fine for a good week after the date. I figure those must have been a holdover from when they first started putting dates on the cartons in the first place.
In my experience it has been obvious when milk is bad, not that it lasts that long here. I never look at the date and probably always take a test sniff before drinking, unless it plops out of the carton and is sent directly to sink. Right now we go through about a gallon a day with the boys so no real risk of spoilage.
Even fresh milk smells "off" to me, so I go by the date on the carton. (The "in NYC" date which is about 2 days earlier than the regular date.)
Milk date #2 person here.
I have found that people in the U.S. tend to go a wee bit overboard when it comes to food safety. Heaven FORBID your eggs be even the slightest bit undercooked, or that you handle raw chicken without donning full Hazmat gear.
Thanks to this discussion, I started craving a glass of milk.
I am now drinking a glass of organic milk (sell by Jan 04 2009), AIFG.
