Lack of expiration date in American products

[Krikit 1,166]

This is funny. I think we have some really strange dating too, but for different reasons. Some dating is "Don't use after X date." Others are "After this date you have X amount of time to use this." Still others are "Best before," this date or 'Born on," this date.

And don't forget the "Sell by" date too! I'm never sure if that means you have to consume it by then, or if you have some time to eat it after that date. I err on the side of caution and make sure it's consumed - or tossed - by then. Apparently botulism is only good when it's injected.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

No. It happens very often I can't find the date anywhere. I know everything is supposed to have a date, but they don't. Nowhere.

They're called preservatives.

[Mags 112]

The sell by date indicates the date it should be off the shelves in the supermarket; the use by is the date by which you should consume the goods.

Generally, the use by date is around 3/4 days after the sell by date.

I really miss seeing use by dates on things. Milk, although it does have a date on it, seems to keep far longer than it did in the UK. Normally it would last 4/5 days after opening at the most. Here, two weeks pass and it's still fresh. Makes me nervous, it does.

[Krikit 1,166]

I really miss seeing use by dates on things. Milk, although it does have a date on it, seems to keep far longer than it did in the UK. Normally it would last 4/5 days after opening at the most. Here, two weeks pass and it's still fresh. Makes me nervous, it does.

Reminds me of the time my daughter told me about the forgotten processed cheese sandwich on Wonderbread in her friend's locker at school. Apparently it had been in there for a month and was still "fresh".

[Anna C. 4]

I don't buy anything that doesn't have a sell by date. As soon as the sell by date is reached, the stuff goes directly into the food disposal. I never ate things beyond the expiration date...

[sj5 4]

i won't buy it if i can't find expiration date. Check before you buy it.

[SnowyTater 0]

Food labeling is something that I have missed badly, In OZ they not only have to put the expiration dates but also the ingredients and not just on canned or preserves but all food products. Even fast food has to list the ingredients they use. McDonalds puts theirs on the paper mats they use on eat in trays, as well as the fat content etc of their products so you really know what your getting.

I do miss the food labeling as it is good to actually read what ####### we really are eating.

I haven't ate much fast food in the past few years but I've been to Wendy's twice now and I really like it, if I gotta go fast food I'd like to go to it. They've got the choose your side thing which is awesome and both Wendy's I've been to have the nutritional panel hanging up all framed and proud and not hidden when you walk in, and a lot of it's not that bad. It really is very helpful

Of course there's still no ingredients list. But to be honest I KNOW it's bad if it's fast food, I don't wanna go "MMMMM CORN SYRUP" while I'm eating, sometimes you just gotta let it go

What you need to do Nessa is buy a humongous ice box to stick on your porch or whatever you have. Just freeze absolutely everything you think you might not use for awhile, including coconut My grandma freezes everything, even potato chips, which don't really freeze so much as just don't go stale EVER if you put them in the icebox, so one bag could last a year at the rate she eats them

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Email the manufacturer on the 'internet'.

[eekee 182]

McCormick have a thing on their website where you can type in the weird code and it tells you whether it's expired or not.

[Reba 2]

We went thru our cupboards a while ago to check expiration dates on everything. Most of the stuff had dates, some of it didn't (including canned stuff). If I didn't remember buying it, and we couldn't find a date, we tossed it out. And pretty much anything we "inherited" when his Mother died, we tossed out, because we had no way of knowing how long she'd had it!

Canned goods generally keep about 3 years. Jarred spices anywhere from 6 months to 2 years. Extracts about 2 years (but I know of people who use them much longer, and say they just use a dash extra in recipes because only some of the flavour is gone).

Be careful of peanut butter or canned nuts (like trail mix or party peanuts or nut mixes). They only keep a few months really, and if you eat rancid nuts, you'll certainly know it!

There are a lot of preservatives in American foods, which keep them "fresh" longer than in most other countries. Perservatives aren't necessarily good for you either, but I suppose if Armageddon were to happen tomorrow, we'd have enough food to keep us going for about 6 months or so

Which really makes me wonder about the movie I am Legend. He was REALLY taking a chance on some of those canned foods, that's for sure! He'd been living alone for how long? EEK!

[Nessa 23]

I don't buy anything that doesn't have a sell by date. As soon as the sell by date is reached, the stuff goes directly into the food disposal. I never ate things beyond the expiration date...

i won't buy it if i can't find expiration date. Check before you buy it.

Yeah, that would mean I wouldn't be able to buy at least 1/4 of the things I buy. Not happening. Unless I can find something to substitute, but I do my grocery at the commissary and they're limited, they don't have as many options as other grocery stores. And before anyone sugest I buy in other places, that ain't happening. I go to walmart every other month to buy canned things I can't find at all or can't find the flavor I want, but that's it.

The only things I really don't buy that don't have expiration date are dairy, refrigerated stuff.

[Marilyn. 340]

The sell by date indicates the date it should be off the shelves in the supermarket; the use by is the date by which you should consume the goods.

Generally, the use by date is around 3/4 days after the sell by date.

I really miss seeing use by dates on things. Milk, although it does have a date on it, seems to keep far longer than it did in the UK. Normally it would last 4/5 days after opening at the most. Here, two weeks pass and it's still fresh. Makes me nervous, it does.

what kind of milk are you buying?? ..lol

opened milk goes bad on me in about 4 or 5 days or so...

Edited March 30, 2008 by MarilynP

[kim&james 0]

The sell by date indicates the date it should be off the shelves in the supermarket; the use by is the date by which you should consume the goods.

Generally, the use by date is around 3/4 days after the sell by date.

I really miss seeing use by dates on things. Milk, although it does have a date on it, seems to keep far longer than it did in the UK. Normally it would last 4/5 days after opening at the most. Here, two weeks pass and it's still fresh. Makes me nervous, it does.

what kind of milk are you buying?? ..lol

unopened milk goes bad on me in about 4 or 5 days or so...

I was thinking along the same lines as Mags with the milk, I buy whatever is at the supermarket and it stays fresh for a long time but I still only keep it for about 5 days then toss it.

I would love to know how much preservatives are in the milk here.

[Marilyn. 340]

I notice a funky smell in the milk after about 5 days or so and then it gets chucked.. I have never had opened milk last more then a week

[Mags 112]

The sell by date indicates the date it should be off the shelves in the supermarket; the use by is the date by which you should consume the goods.

Generally, the use by date is around 3/4 days after the sell by date.

I really miss seeing use by dates on things. Milk, although it does have a date on it, seems to keep far longer than it did in the UK. Normally it would last 4/5 days after opening at the most. Here, two weeks pass and it's still fresh. Makes me nervous, it does.

what kind of milk are you buying?? ..lol

opened milk goes bad on me in about 4 or 5 days or so...

Just normal 2% or 1%. Seriously, it lasts well over a week to two weeks and isn't bad at all nor out of date.