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AIBU?

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Original poster

Out of date teabags

81 replies

Deadbeatex · 04/01/2025 10:28

Oh wise MNers I'm not sure on this one so I'm appealing to your collective wisdom!
Teabags went out of date Nov 2024, there's enough left that I'd finish them around mid Feb. Are they "safe" to drink or should I bin them? I do have more so I wouldn't be without a cuppa

YABU bin them

YANBU give your head a wobble, they are fine to drink go put the kettle on

OP posts:
Original poster
Deadbeatex · 04/01/2025 15:26

@Pandasnacks I normally do lol but went through a phase where I just went off it totally. Happy to report that phase is well and truly over as the kettle is boiling once again 😁 firm believer in there's not much you can't solve over a cuppa tea ☕️

OP posts:
WonderingWanda · 04/01/2025 15:26

Tea bags have a date on them? It's dried leaves, bit like dried herbs, you won't get sick but they might not have such strong flavour after a while.

Pandasnacks · 04/01/2025 15:24

Deadbeatex · 04/01/2025 15:18

I see your point about the vote

I didn't realise unclutch your pearls was meant in a jokey way so my apologies for taking that wrong @Lanzarotelady but I stand by calling out the other PP who had a crack at my intelligence, that's uncalled for. Yes I thought they would probably be fine but I wasn't sure as obviously dates are usually on things for a reason and I don't think that makes me stupid for double checking.

I have indeed given my head a wobble and unclutched my pearls and have had 2 cups of tea since posting and couldn't taste any difference 🤷🏼‍♀️ if I hadn't have checked the box it wouldn't have even occurred to me there might have been something wrong with them.

Also thank you to the PPs that pointed out it is indeed "best before" and not "use by" if I'd have clocked that originally this post probably wouldn't exist ☕️

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Moral of the story here - drink more tea! You can’t have too much of a good thing 🫖

Original poster
Deadbeatex · 04/01/2025 15:18

Pandasnacks · 04/01/2025 15:09

I dont think 7% are telling you to bin them for safety reasons, i think they’ve not read the post properly. I initially voted YABU because it’s silly to worry about tea bags (plus how can you let them go off 😱) but then I reread and changed my vote to match your question.

It’s a bit weird to get so defensive when you were able to be jokey about yourself in your OP. Give your head a wobble (what you said) and unclench your pearls are on a similar line. Maybe avoid AIBU if you can’t take the answers. Especially when it’s about sodding tea bags!

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I see your point about the vote

I didn't realise unclutch your pearls was meant in a jokey way so my apologies for taking that wrong @Lanzarotelady but I stand by calling out the other PP who had a crack at my intelligence, that's uncalled for. Yes I thought they would probably be fine but I wasn't sure as obviously dates are usually on things for a reason and I don't think that makes me stupid for double checking.

I have indeed given my head a wobble and unclutched my pearls and have had 2 cups of tea since posting and couldn't taste any difference 🤷🏼‍♀️ if I hadn't have checked the box it wouldn't have even occurred to me there might have been something wrong with them.

Also thank you to the PPs that pointed out it is indeed "best before" and not "use by" if I'd have clocked that originally this post probably wouldn't exist ☕️

OP posts:
Pandasnacks · 04/01/2025 15:09

Deadbeatex · 04/01/2025 11:21

Wow I know AIBU can be a cesspit but assuming I'm not intelligent and have no common sense.... you don't know what you don't know therefore I'm asking. Currently 7% of the vote is saying to bin them so I'm clearly not the only person who does or does not know the answer. With meat/milk etc it's obvious when it's gone bad, with things like teabags I've no idea but from the helpful comments its clear that they just can taste a bit funny/weaker. I guess I'm now more intelligent than I was earlier as I've learned something new 😁

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I dont think 7% are telling you to bin them for safety reasons, i think they’ve not read the post properly. I initially voted YABU because it’s silly to worry about tea bags (plus how can you let them go off 😱) but then I reread and changed my vote to match your question.

It’s a bit weird to get so defensive when you were able to be jokey about yourself in your OP. Give your head a wobble (what you said) and unclench your pearls are on a similar line. Maybe avoid AIBU if you can’t take the answers. Especially when it’s about sodding tea bags!

Motherrr · 04/01/2025 14:26

Totally fine

crockofshite · 04/01/2025 14:16

I didn't realise dust had a sell by date

Original poster
Deadbeatex · 04/01/2025 11:21

MasterBeth · 04/01/2025 11:15

You have posted on a forum called Am I Being Unreasonable? Your question is unreasonable by general levels of common sense and intelligence. So responding to the post is actually what you asked for.

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Wow I know AIBU can be a cesspit but assuming I'm not intelligent and have no common sense.... you don't know what you don't know therefore I'm asking. Currently 7% of the vote is saying to bin them so I'm clearly not the only person who does or does not know the answer. With meat/milk etc it's obvious when it's gone bad, with things like teabags I've no idea but from the helpful comments its clear that they just can taste a bit funny/weaker. I guess I'm now more intelligent than I was earlier as I've learned something new 😁

OP posts:
zingally · 04/01/2025 11:15

You know when tea has gone off because it tastes funny.

As long as they taste like normal tea, you're fine.

MasterBeth · 04/01/2025 11:15

Deadbeatex · 04/01/2025 10:44

I can assure you I don't own any pearls and I'm definitely not clutching them lmao

I don't normally check but I was aware the box had been in the cupboard for a while as I went off tea for a few months. I've never had this issue before as usually I'm a big tea drinker but once I'd noticed I wasn't sure if they were OK or not hence my post.

I'm not sure why it's got you so annoyed but you are aware you can just scroll on and not respond to any post on here that seems trivial/idiotic/annoying etc?

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You have posted on a forum called Am I Being Unreasonable? Your question is unreasonable by general levels of common sense and intelligence. So responding to the post is actually what you asked for.

Theimpossiblegirl · 04/01/2025 11:11

My rule of thumb is if they had years before expiration, a few months after is fine.

Also, would you consume them in the event of an apocalypse? If yes, they're probably fine.

Lanzarotelady · 04/01/2025 10:52

Deadbeatex · 04/01/2025 10:44

I can assure you I don't own any pearls and I'm definitely not clutching them lmao

I don't normally check but I was aware the box had been in the cupboard for a while as I went off tea for a few months. I've never had this issue before as usually I'm a big tea drinker but once I'd noticed I wasn't sure if they were OK or not hence my post.

I'm not sure why it's got you so annoyed but you are aware you can just scroll on and not respond to any post on here that seems trivial/idiotic/annoying etc?

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Perfectly aware I can scroll on by, as you are aware, if you post, then you have to accept you might get responses that don't like

ThinWomansBrain · 04/01/2025 10:50

they don't suddenly become unusable on the stroke of midnight 30 November!
they'll be fine.

I did get really hacked off at the state of the kitchen at work when things were quiet pre christmas - chucked out loads of weird herbal concoctions that were best before c.2016.

Original poster
Deadbeatex · 04/01/2025 10:44

Lanzarotelady · 04/01/2025 10:36

FFS really. Really!
Who actually checks the expiry date of tea bags?
If they had been decanted into a different container you would be none the wiser! Just bloody drink the tea and unclench your pearls

I can assure you I don't own any pearls and I'm definitely not clutching them lmao

I don't normally check but I was aware the box had been in the cupboard for a while as I went off tea for a few months. I've never had this issue before as usually I'm a big tea drinker but once I'd noticed I wasn't sure if they were OK or not hence my post.

I'm not sure why it's got you so annoyed but you are aware you can just scroll on and not respond to any post on here that seems trivial/idiotic/annoying etc?

OP posts:
Littletinytarzanswingingfromanosehair · 04/01/2025 10:38

I've unintentionally drank camomile 12 years out of date. My colleague brought a box in and I checked the date after I noticed the flavour was very faint. Apparently they were from the back of her mums cupboard and she never thought to check 🙂.

Lanzarotelady · 04/01/2025 10:36

FFS really. Really!
Who actually checks the expiry date of tea bags?
If they had been decanted into a different container you would be none the wiser! Just bloody drink the tea and unclench your pearls

Vroomfondleswaistcoat · 04/01/2025 10:35

If they've been open to the air then they might just taste a bit less 'tea-y' that's all. They won't do you any harm.

My daughter rang me the other day to say that she'd got some meat that 'went out of date' on the day after she'd bought it, but she was cooking it in the evening of the day before but would be serving it after midnight (for a New Year do), was it safe? I just told her that the meat wouldn't know when it was midnight, so it would be fine...

AlexandrinaH · 04/01/2025 10:33

I ate some spring rolls that were two years out of date a few days ago. I’m fine!

Tea bags - just use them 😂

GETTINGLIKEMYMOTHER · 04/01/2025 10:32

Of course they’ll be safe! Will probably taste less than fresh, though.

Changingplace · 04/01/2025 10:32

They’ll be absolutely fine, they might start losing their strength a little after a few months but I’d still use them.

RampantIvy · 04/01/2025 10:32

They might have less taste, but they will be fine.

I'm surprised that they have gone out of date, but I drink a lot of tea.

TheKeatingFive · 04/01/2025 10:32

It's tea. What do you think could have changed in a few weeks?

cestlavielife · 04/01/2025 10:32

Safe yes of course!

Flavour declines over time but years not months

CornishPorsche · 04/01/2025 10:31

It'll be "best before" not "use by".

Huge difference in that. Just use them up. It's not going to suddenly have botulism in it.

DogInATent · 04/01/2025 10:31

Teabags might go a bit stale when they're elderly. But as long as they're kept dry they'll be fine.

I have absolutely no idea how old the teabags in the motorhome are (we're more coffee people when travelling), it's quite likely that they could be a couple of years out of date. But they're still fine for a brew.

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