[Food] Sell By Dates

Lenny Rider · May 19, 2022

Is what they deem to be a ‘shelf life’ actually counter productive because as a nation we throw away huge amounts of food that could actually still be consumed?

In the past, and continuing into the future, we have taken leftover funeral buffets down to the homeless with the caveat that they have had to have been laid out for less than 3 hours, so it’s always 2hrs 50mins.

And when I was a kid bread and milk didn’t have sell by dates, if the bread went stale the birds got it and if the milk smelt allright you still drank it.

yxee · May 19, 2022

I think we should be able to tell when certain foods are off. But it is harder for other food, eg some meat. And it is also useful to have a quick way of telling how old something is without opening the packet.

amexer · May 19, 2022

Anything sealed dont worry much about dates. Meat etc if in fridge within 2/3 days. Bread, toaster and birds

darkwolf666 · May 19, 2022

Lenny Rider said:
Is what they deem to be a ‘shelf life’ actually counter productive because as a nation we throw away huge amounts of food that could actually still be consumed?

In the past, and continuing into the future, we have taken leftover funeral buffets down to the homeless with the caveat that they have had to have been laid out for less than 3 hours, so it’s always 2hrs 50mins. &#55357;&#56397;

And when I was a kid bread and milk didn’t have sell by dates, if the bread went stale the birds got it and if the milk smelt allright you still drank it.

I think there are many things I would give the sell by date the benefit of the doubt by a couple of days, save for possibly chicken and seafood.

I did see Morrison’s are taking (or may already have done so) the use by date off their milk, trusting customers to use their eyes and noses to make personal choice!

Thunder Bolt · May 19, 2022

There is a difference between Use By dates and Sell By dates.

Swansman · May 19, 2022

No keep it up.

Once a week or so I go dumpster diving and find a lot of perfectly fine things.

bWize · May 19, 2022

darkwolf666 said:
I did see Morrison’s are taking (or may already have done so) the use by date off their milk, trusting customers to use their eyes and noses to make personal choice!

How does that work? The customer opens the milk, has a whiff and decides if it smells ok whilst in the supermarket?

darkwolf666 · May 19, 2022

Thunder Bolt said:
There is a difference between Use By dates and Sell By dates.

Indeed there is...

Vaughan Storm · May 19, 2022

I do wonder whether shops put they're best before dates a few days earlier than what It should be so you throw it away and buy more

darkwolf666 · May 19, 2022

bWize said:
How does that work? The customer opens the milk, has a whiff and decides if it smells ok whilst in the supermarket?

No, it has a sell by date, as per normal, you buy with the sell by date in mind, but use your own decision making to decide how long you use it for.

darkwolf666 · May 19, 2022

bWize said:
How does that work? The customer opens the milk, has a whiff and decides if it smells ok whilst in the supermarket?

No, it has a sell by date, as per normal, you buy with the sell by date in mind, but use your own decision making to decide how long you use it for.

The Optimist · May 19, 2022

Do sell by dates appear that often? I’m more used to seeing use by and best before dates.

Is it PotG? · May 19, 2022

If it smells OK, consume it.

FatSuperman · May 19, 2022

Vaughan Storm said:
I do wonder whether shops put they're best before dates a few days earlier than what It should be so you throw it away and buy more

I cam assure you they don't, as wastage is a huge issue for grocery firms. Most customers won't buy short life products, so they end up being thrown away at the store. They actively and constantly try to extend the life of products, with new production and packaging methods.

My issue with this removing sell by dates is that I have no sense of smell or taste! So I have no idea if something is off.

Yoda · May 19, 2022

Vaughan Storm said:
I do wonder whether shops put they're best before dates a few days earlier than what It should be so you throw it away and buy more

Not something I've experienced judging by some of the fresh fruit & veg I buy starting to turn before those date's.

dazzer6666 · May 19, 2022

I tend to ignore them. Easy enough to tell by appearance/smell whether food is still ok.

beorhthelm · May 19, 2022

sell by date is on dairy, meat, fish, also ready meals. you dont want to be eating the thing after the date (give or take, depending how its kept).
use by date is on about everything else. indicates possible quality deterioration or used for stock control.

i recall some a directive on the appliction of sell by dates and due to fines if you didnt label correctly, company's interpretation was to put a sell by date where not necessary.

darkwolf666 · May 19, 2022

Yoda said:
Not something I've experienced judging by some of the fresh fruit & veg I buy starting to turn before those date's.

Don’t get me started on squashed raspberries!

rippleman · May 19, 2022

A neat little trick from Tesco (smaller stores) who now won't sell the small (1 pint) milk any longer. If I am forced to buy the larger size I'm only half through it before it goes off so I am wasting milk and having a larger plastic container to dispose of.

Yes. This is the same Tesco that took all its "own brand" products offline for deliveries during lockdown (so instead of buying a 40p can of own brand baked beans you had to pay 85p for Heinz.)

Clever buggers eh?

zefarelly · May 19, 2022

I get told off at home for bin dipping

Mrs Zef throws away perfectly good food if its 'out of date'

I grade it . . .

fussy buggers

me

Dog

The Dog and I east best in our house, by far.

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