Organizing-Life » When to Throw Out That Food

When to Throw Out That Food

Tuesday I wrote about when to pitch that paper, and yesterday the theme article was about when to toss that makeup. Today is a list of pointers about how to know when food stuffs and spices in the kitchen should go out with the trash.

tomatoes-in-baskets-sml

:: Food “expiration dates” labeled sell by, best before, best if used by, use by, all mean different things. The “sell by” is more a guide for the store to know how long it can display a product for sale. The “best before” or “best if used by” date refers to food quality and flavor. “Use by” works more like an expiration date and eating it after the date is not recommended.

:: Consume or freeze within 2 days of purchase to prevent bacterial illnesses. (Ignore the sell-by date which indicates how long the store can keep the meat for sale. Their refrigerator temperatures at 30 degrees F are lower than home fridges and safely keep meat safe to consume longer.

:: Never re-freeze thawed meats. Doing so can enhance the growth of bacteria that can cause illness.

:: Canned items should be stored in a cool (below 85 degrees F) dry place up to a year (or check the package use by date). After 1 year canned items can be consumed, although their quality may have diminished. Toss badly dented cans and cans that show signs of rust.

:: Frozen items: meats – 6-8 months; fish – 3-6 months; veggies – 8 months; breads – 3 months; butter – 9 months.

:: Dry items: white rice – 1 year; brown rice – 6 months; pasta – 2 years; dry cereal – 1 year; cake mixes – 6-9 months; cookies and crackers - 2 months.

:: Those baking staples in the pantry: pure vanilla extract – 2 years; white flour - 1 year (whole wheat lasts about 6-8 months in the fridge because of oils); granulated sugar - 2 years (10X sugar – 18 months, and brown sugar stays fresh for 4 months); baking soda – 2 years or until it looses it’s “fizz”; baking powder – 18 months or until it looses it’s rising power; yeast – toss by the package expiration date.

:: Whole spices can stay fresh for up to 2 years. Ground spices only keep their flavor and quality for about 6 months.

:: Refrigerated eggs-in-shell can last up to 4-5 weeks. Butter can stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

:: Health Goods has a great food storage guideline table.

:: Use your nose and your eyes and if anything looks or smells bad, it has gone bad. When in doubt, throw it out.

Other Notes:

To add to yesterday’s post pitch sunscreen products, bath and body products and over-the-counter medications after their expiration date.

What is the item you seem to waste the most? In my home, I like varied snack foods, so there are always 5-10 items open at any given time. Then we can’t finish them all before they go stale so the last bit in the package always gets pitched. Any suggestions for me? (Okay, besides the obvious, finish one before opening another.) How should I keep crackers, cookies, and those shrimp chips fresher longer? Leave a comment here and let others know what your waste challenge is in your home! Happy Organizing!