Confused by the expiration date stamped on the side of your ketchup?
Those dates err on the side of caution, which can cause perfectly good food to end up in
the dumpster.
But things can also take a turn before the official "use by" date.
Here's how to figure out whether to keep it, or toss it!
Because eating spoiled food isn't gonna end well for anyone.
"No Megan, no!"
"Look away!
"No Megan, no!"
"Look away"
Butter
"Have you ever put butter on a Pop-Tart… it's so freakin' good.
Have you ever put butter on a Pop-tart.. if you haven't then I think you should"
There are two different schools of thought on the best way to store butter: at room temp,
or in the fridge.
"Honey, where's my Parkay?
Right in front of you"
If you keep your butter on the counter, it's not only heat — but light — that's going
to make your butter turn rancid faster.
If you're keeping it in the fridge, though, you can expect butter to last about four months.
It ultimately goes bad when the cream it's made out of turns rotten.
You'll be able to tell it's going bad when it starts to smell and taste like something
you'd never want to spread on your toast.
"And Cut!
This takes like saddle soap"
Milk
"We're outta milk.
Are you kidding me?"
When it comes to finding out if your milk's gone off, stick your nose in it.
If it smells funky, it's a sign it's spoiled.
But what if you can't tell?
Milk spoils by a complex process involving the microbes that pasteurization misses.
So if the surface of your milk looks like it's separating, it's passing on to milk heaven.
"That is bad.
It is.
It's very, very bad."
Peanut butter
Unless you're a huge PB fan, this jar might be hanging out in your pantry for a while.
"Smell yours, so?
smell Jif.
Smells more like fresh peanuts"
Even at room temp, and after it's been open, peanut butter can last for months without
going bad, thanks to its high fat and oil content, and dry nature.
Most bacteria can't survive in peanut butter, much less thrive there.
"What in the world?"
But when it does go bad you'll notice a change in flavor and smell.
"Ah mi Amor."
"Why did you leave me"
Rice
"Ok ladies lets see your chicken and rice dishes" scrub to "Sorry Mrs. Lamont, my rice
is sticky"
While uncooked white, wild, and jasmine rice will keep indefinitely as long as they're
sealed, brown rice has a higher oil content and can actually go bad.
Uncooked brown rice can go three to six months in the cupboard, and up to 18 months if you
freeze it.
But cooked rice should only be kept in the fridge for around four to six days.
Improper storage, or changes in temperature can cause the growth of a bacteria — which
can even survive the cooking process.
"Gross"
Red meat
It's safe to say that you expect red meats to be, well, red.
That color, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, comes from the interaction
between protein and oxygen.
"You smell like beef and cheese, you don't smell like Santa"
The Ag Department also reports that if your steak is turning a brownish-red, it's good
to eat, since that's just the protein reacting with the air.
If the center is brown, carry on with dinner plans because that just happens when oxygen
doesn't penetrate that far into the meat.
And an iridescent sheen simply shows the light reacting with things like iron and fat.
But if your meat looks faded or very, very dark, it's past its prime.
"Seriously, you need to throw that meat away.
Uh-uh"
The USDA also says spoiled red meat will start to smell off, and that you'll also need to
touch it.
If the surface has turned tacky, sticky, or has developed a slimy coating, order delivery.
"Stinks in here… smells like meat.
rotten meat"
Shellfish
We all know bad shellfish ruins lives.
"Did you just?
Shut up shut up shut up"
But don't start off on the wrong foot by buying mussels that are already dead.
According to The University of Rhode Island, shellfish dealers should keep certification
tags that tell just how long it's been since they were harvested.
So do the math.
"30 million people aren't gonna wait for you while you go to the john."
When it comes to oysters, clams, and mussels, be suspicious of open shells.
If they stay open when you tap them, the creature inside is dead.
But during the cooking process, all the shells should open.
And if they don't?
"You pick them out and you throw them away"
Canned food
Watch any post-apocalyptic anything, and you'll see characters raiding stores for canned goods.
But canned foods aren't a 100 percent guarantee — not even chocolate pudding.
"Do the poor like original, or bold and spicy"
If the can is dented, rusted, or broken, the food's been compromised.
But if the can's in good shape, remember this: Non-acidic canned goods like soups will last
much longer than acidic foods like fruits and tomatoes — so skip the fruit cocktail,
and go for the pudding.
"He hates these cans.
Stay away from the cans"
Eggs
Ok, we're talking about your huevos, people.
"The thing I most like to bring out this time of year are my balls"
But not those huevos, these huevos.
You've probably heard that when an egg floats, it's bad.
That's not entirely true, and according to the USDA, a floating egg has just progressed
to the next stage of edible life.
"An egg, sir.
I know that lieutenant"
The more air that's in the egg, the older it is and the more likely it is to float.
But in order to tell if it's safe to use, you'll need to crack it.
Spoiled eggs will give off an unmistakable odor, one that will remain even after they've
been cooked, too.
"I know that smell.
Me too.
Oh my God it's an egg.
A rotten egg!"
Cheese
"Cheese people are...we're all weirdos...sure"
This one's tough: there are so many different kinds of cheese, and so many different smells
and flavors.
"Ugh!
That smells awful.
Yeah.
That's how you know it's good"
Hard cheeses, like cheddar and Parmesan, can last up to six months in the fridge.
Even if they start to grow a bit of blue or white mold, you can safely cut the mold off
these cheese and eat the rest.
Soft cheeses, like cream cheese, mozzarella, and feta go bad pretty quickly because of
their moisture content.
As far as these are concerned, if there's any mold, the entire thing should be destined
for the dumpster.
"yucky"
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