"Once opened use within x days?"

[ATrampsVest]

Does anyone adhere to the packaging advice that says "once opened use within x days?" I've noticed it on lots of foods, including ham, yogurt, hummous, even mayonnaise. Am I safe to ignore it? For example, the ham I opened today has a use by date of 2nd July but also says to use within two days of opening it. There's no way I'd get through the packet within two days and it seems like such a waste to throw it out.

I always ignore instructions like that and am never ill or even seen anything go off, except maybe a bit of mould growth on cheese, but I'd just cut that off and carry on.

I've had meat open for days, cheese for weeks, mayonnaise for months, ketchup for years.

I do keep things in the fridge and use clean spoons for the mayonnaise, jam etc as it's likely to be introduction of crumbs that cause things to go off.

They don't trust you to use a clean spoon, clean hands and your fridge at the right temperature and want you to throw away perfectly good food and go out and buy some more.

I use my own judgement.

I've never even thought to check cheese. Just had a look and it says use within 7 days of opening! It's at least two weeks since we opened it and it looks perfectly fine to me. I don't think I've ever gone through a block in a week before. I wonder how much these labels contribute to food waste.

I ignore completely and rely on my nose and eyes and we’ve never had food poisoning . If serving to the very small or those with immunodeficiency I would be more circumspect.

Meat I'm a bit more circumspect about - sliced chicken and the like. But mayonnaise, jalapeno peppers, salsa....months if not years...

Smell, appearance and taste. The best before/eat before date is just numbers.

I ignore completely, maybe pay a tiny bit of attention if it's for the baby or fish

Mil went to through a bag of ice out yesterday cos it was in the freezer a while

It has to be nonsense if it’s on mayonnaise, hasn’t it? Who gannets their way through a large jar of mayo in a couple of days?
If you buy ham at the deli counter they don’t stick a use by date on it.

I tend to ignore that too. I do make sure everything like hummus has lids back on or that things like ham and cheese are wrapped up before I put them back in the fridge and they always seem to last fine.

I always think if things are sealed well and kept at the correct temp then they are perfectly fine. I've never been ill from eating anything that's been opened for more than 2 days. I don't use or eat anything though after the 'use by' date.

If it’s meat then I’ll stick to the recommendation but ignore it on everything else if they look/smell fine.

Not jam, ketchup etc but ham, chicken etc I do. Just freeze half the pack the day you open it.