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Original poster

Would you eat green lentils that are 10 months out of date?

29 replies

surreysarah · 30/12/2025 13:33

The pack is open but folded over and secured with a clip.

OP posts:
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GlomOfNit · 31/12/2025 00:14

I tend to find that red lentils, at any rate, seem to harden and take forever to cook if I retrieved them from the back of the cupboard. But in terms of edibility they should be fine.

Personally I can't be arsed with dried pulses and I'm afraid I buy them ready-cooked!

billiongulls · 31/12/2025 00:08

Dried Lentils? No use by date in my view

Original poster
surreysarah · 30/12/2025 23:59

Ta all - will eat.

OP posts:
AnotherForumUser · 30/12/2025 18:23

I take it you mean dried lentils. Providing no weevils, damp or musty smell them yes.
With dried beans and lentils it takes only a bit more time/ energy to cook larger quantities and then drain and freeze. So may be worth cooking the whole bag and then freezing then you've got them ready to chuck in a recipe.

thecatneuterer · 30/12/2025 17:24

I'd probably eat them then years out of date

MyThreeWords · 30/12/2025 17:22

Yes I would. Out of date lentils (and chick peas) (and herbal teas) are my plan for surviving the zombie apocalypse. If they are poisonous, I'm screwed.

Arlanymor · 30/12/2025 17:19

Dried lentils will withstand a nuclear war. I would soak them for a bit longer, but no problem with eating them. Unless there is a weevil infestation - in which case pick out the weevils first - or eat them 'avec weevils' if you fancy a bit more protein with your meal.

Comtesse · 30/12/2025 17:16

Dried lentils - absolutely wouldn’t worry about it. They might take longer to cook that’s all.

AdoreTheChaos · 30/12/2025 16:10

Yes I would use them.
We recently had some tinned custard with a dessert and when I was washing the time tin out later I saw that it had gone out of date in March 2023. Tasted fine and neither of us were ill.

Theextraordinaryisintheordinary · 30/12/2025 14:20

Yep

Chemenger · 30/12/2025 14:17

I keep them in a jar so I have no idea what the sell by date was.

Umy15r03lcha1 · 30/12/2025 14:16

Yes so long as they're dry and not obviously musty. Ive eaten packet food 5 years out of date. It's a guide.

Coffeeishot · 30/12/2025 14:15

My red lentils are 5 months past their best before, I have them soaking to make soup, I did check them for mouldy bits but they are fine.

Yourlifeinyourhands · 30/12/2025 14:12

If you’re desperate but I definitely wouldn’t. They probably won’t cook properly.

tartyflette · 30/12/2025 14:11

Dried pulses such as lentils can last for ages. I'm sure I have eaten ones more than a year old - they might just need longer soaking and / or cooking.

averychoc · 30/12/2025 14:10

No but I’m ridiculously stupid about dates

Greenfinch7 · 30/12/2025 14:08

Yes of course- wouldn't check a date on dried beans and things like that (if I even had the original packaging, which would be unlikely)

ConnieHeart · 30/12/2025 14:04

Yes, it's only a best before date which doesn't mean much in our house

Heyhelga · 30/12/2025 14:03

I can't imagine dry lentils would ever go off.

HouseAshamed · 30/12/2025 14:01

Yes

GreywackeJ · 30/12/2025 14:00

I wouldn’t even look at the date tbh.

Onelifeonly · 30/12/2025 13:59

Yes

Maddy70 · 30/12/2025 13:58

Yes. Lentila will last a lifetime as long as they have been kept dry

Enrichetta · 30/12/2025 13:52

Some of the lentils I’ve been eating recently were 3 years out of date…

I'm less forgiving with chickpeas as old ones take a long time to cook. Kidney beans even less so

CasperGutman · 30/12/2025 13:50

Yes. I don't think it would occur to me to look at the date in dried lentils. Unless there's some obvious issue - e.g., they're mouldy or infested with insects - I would cook and eat them without hesitation.

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