Meal planning when expiration dates are terrible.

[Aquarelles]

I currently don't do any meal planning, but I want to start because my diet isn't great, and I want to save a bit of money on the food shop.

I don't have a plan in mind e.g. Monday is x, Tuesday is y. I tend to just go to the shops and think OK I'll have spag bol one day, chicken stir fry another day, etc. Due to my work schedule, I tend to go shopping once a week, on a Wednesday or Thursday evening, at Tesco.

However, more often than not, I find that the dates on most fresh stuff doesn't lend itself to meal planning and doing The Big Shop once a week.

I'll go to pick up a packet of mince or chicken, and it'll have tomorrow's date or, at best, the day after. Ditto pre-prepared veg, or ready meal type things. I usually just have to use up fresh stuff first then resort to those slow cooked in a box type things that you get e.g. pulled pork. It's fine, but I would prefer to eat fresh more often and be a bit healthier.

How do people get around the dates? Batch cooking then using the freezer? Shop several times in a week? Use more dried ingredients? Frozen veg?

I do a meal plan, but am flexible on what days it's for, so if the chicken has the shortest date, I use that first.

Worst case I'd shove the chicken in the freezer as is and defrost on the morning I need it.

Ignoring them! Meat is always ok a day or two after. Smell it! Otherwise freeze. Veg the same. If it starts to go a bit floppy then blanch and freeze.

Very simple - don’t shop at Tesco! The BBE dates are abysmal!

I shop daily and buy what I need on the day. But I live a 5 minute walk from the supermarket so I'm not having to go out of my way to do it.

I write the meal plan for the week at the top of my shopping list with the date, so I know when I buy something if I need to swap meals around or freeze something

I'll go to pick up a packet of mince or chicken, and it'll have tomorrow's date or, at best, the day after.
Really!?
You need a better supermarket. Or a bigger freezer.

I do once a week and usually the dates are fine for the first three or four days. I eat past BBE for the rest and it’s fine. I find it much easier to batch cook using the slow cooker for weekday meals but I find food like that off-putting during the summer months, so for now I cook nightly - fish and meat and lighter veg.

We get it delivered weekly, use by dates vary, usually things like salmon have the shortest dates and we have to plan to eat them earlier in the week. Chicken dates are usually 5 days ish. Never had meat with a next day on it.
We plan the meals and swap them round if need be. And anything with a short date that we’ll need later on we stick in the freezer before getting it out in a few days to defrost and use it.

Look at they dates and freeze some/eat first as needed.

I just throw any meat and fish that I won't use before the expiry date in the freezer and either defrost in the fridge overnight or microwave on the day.

I would probably find somewhere else to shop if all the meat is only good for 24 hrs but understand that this might not be possible.

You can also have a few store cupboard or veggie meals at the end of the week when you are low on fresh meat. Things like tuna pasta bake or gnocchi/pasta with veg and pesto. Squash risotto, that sort of thing. Also remember to plan in the days when you might make enough to eat leftovers the day after too so you don't over buy.

If you do an online shop, they put on the fresh items the minimum best before days they'll send you. So this pack of chicken from Asda is expected to have a best before of at least the 9th, if delivered today. If it comes and the date is before that, you can claim a refund for the item. This might work better for you.

That being said, it sounds like your shop is rubbish- I shopped at my local Lidl on Monday, and all of the meat and fish I bought is dated the 8th & 9th, so 6 days average.

Don't buy pre prepared veg it's notorious for spoiling before you can eat it. A whole cauliflower will keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge, just cut off what you need, same with broccoli, root veg too. Salad is a bit more tricky but mine usually lasts the week. Ignore any best before dates on salad and veg although unless they are reduced don't buy out of date stuff

So if it’s a pack of fresh veg like tenderstem broccoli or green beans the dates are only guidelines. With meat just put it in the freezer. It won’t stop later batch cooking because if you unfreeze then batch cook with it the cooked food can be frozen.

Yes, really

Last week wasn't so bad, as I managed to get 2 days on mince and 4 days on the chicken, but the week before was terrible. Everything was either on date or next day. I had to give up and just do a daily shop that week.

The Tesco I go to isn't massive, but it's not tiny either. I tend to go to that one as it's most convenient for going after work, and it's also the quietest. I have an ASDA near my house, and a Morrisons but I don't feel like they have as much choice / the quality is as good.

I don't even look at the dates. Use your eyes and nose.

I am fine with freezing meat, but I always forget to take it out the freezer in the morning before I go to work. I have chicken in there from 2019 that has followed me through 3 house moves.

I buy meat in Tesco, but I also put most of it in the freezer. I leave what I'm going to use in the next few days in the fridge and the rest straight in the freezer. I don't find their veg too bad, mainly easily lasts a week in the fridge (but I don't care about Best Before dates if it's OK it's OK) main exception salad leaves. I don't buy ready prepared veg it's usually rubbish wherever it comes from, if it's cheap and you want to use it that day fair enough.

Short date stuff is always at the front of the fridge/shelf.... go to the back for longer date stuff x

You can quickly thaw meat in a microwave, I rarely decide what meat I'm going to cook until the evening and then get it out and thaw it. Whole chicken or big joint would be weekend anyway.

I don't have a microwave. My ex took it when we split and I never bothered buying myself another one. I rarely used it when I did have one.

I'll need to write myself a note and attach to the front door to remind myself to take it out the freezer

I almost never have a problem in finding food in the supermarket thst has a reasonable use by date - if the packs at the front have a short date, then I rummage at the back to find packs with a longer life. As others have said, if the worst came to the worst I would buy food with a slightly shorter date and put it in the freezer until the day I want to use it. I find the same with vegetables, and the packs with the longest expiry dates are always in the bottom /back crate. I keep strictly to use by dates with meat and fish but never have a problem in either finding food with a long enough shelf life or meat that I can freeze until it's needed. If it seems to be a particular problem with the supermarket you use, then could you not shop elsewhere or online?

I've never planned ahead with meals - I have no idea what I might want to eat on Saturday and decide what I want in the day, based on what is it in the fridge/freezer.

Can’t speak for meat because we are a veggie household but all dates on vegetables can be ignored.

We try buy veg free of packaging. Anything in packaging is removed from it and then put in fridge and we judge how long it will last by looking/feeling it. Certain things need to be used promptly after buying/opening the packet and we would meal plan accordingly.

Dairy generally lasts longer than the date on the box too, we use our judgement for this. It is really obvious when something is no longer ok to eat

I love my freezer.

Once a month I buy chicken breasts and chop and portion them (freeze flat so they defrost quickly) and cook a big pot of ragu, make a batch of meatballs/burgers , etc.

Full selection of frozen veg for dinners, and fruit for smoothies.

I can leave the meal plan quite vague - eg Monday: chicken something or other
Tuesday: bolognese/chilli/lasagne
Wednesday: fish
Thursday: beans

If I’m cooking from scratch I make double and freeze some.

I use fresh veg and fruit for packed lunches and use it up in order of how fast it goes off , eg strawberries on mon/tuesday, grapes on wed/thurs, apples on Friday. Same with other things- croissants get used before bread, and a pack of wraps in reserve.

I’m not a good planner, and my energy levels are inconsistent but this way I am able to have dinner on the table in 20 minutes or less.

It must be this supermarket, then. I would say 90% of the time, I can't get anything with longer than 2 days. Whether that's veg, meat, bread is another horrendous one too!! I'll look to buy a loaf on Thursday, and it will be out of date by Saturday. No use for bacon butties on a Sunday

I've never planned ahead with meals - I have no idea what I might want to eat on Saturday
This is the problem I've got too. I've just tried there to sit down and write a meal plan but I was stumped by the time I got to Saturday. I don't know what I'll fancy or what I'll be doing on that day.

I tend to go to that one as it's most convenient for going after work, and it's also the quietest.
I wonder why nobody shops there it's so quiet in there...

I try to keep to the habit of checking the meal plan in the morning before I head off to work. Get the meat out of the freezer, into the fridge and it will be defrosted by the time you get home.