Year old Xmas pudding - edible?

[GloriousTuga]

I was given a fancy Xmas pudding last year but had already made my own so didn’t eat it. It’s been in a dark cupboard sealed in plastic since then

I planned to have it this year but just realised the website (St John) says it should have been eaten by 27th Dec 2023. Is this right? It looks okay but I haven’t unsealed it.

Yes we purposely buy in sale to use the following year same with mincemeat

Definitely, it will have improved with age if anything.

We have last year's pudding for this year, as we usually do. I'm pretty sure we'd be able to tell very quickly if it shouldn't be eaten.

I had one which was 4yrs out of date. It was perfectly fine and delicious 😋

It should be fine. I assume it says Best Before rather than Use By 27 Dec 23. I think of dates like that on obvious seasonal merchandise as meant for the retailer more than the consumer. When you open it up ready to steam, prick hole all over the flat surface on the top and spoon over some rum or brandy (or orange juice if you prefer). It will all get absorbed into the pudding and make it moister.

Last years Christmas cake is still fine and getting eaten here. Mine is in date for a couple more months, but it wouldn't bother me if it wasn't. If its that similar kind of mix I'd be happily scrounging it up and eating it well out of date come the zombie apocalypse.

We always have Xmas puds which are at least a couple of years out of code. I 'feed' the one I'm going to use for a couple of weeks before Christmas day.

Yep I have two mini ones from last year that have sat in the cupboard. Going to enjoy those

So it was two days to it’s best before when you were given it? Someone sat on that for a while didn’t they?!

Perfectly fine

It'll be fine. I have two I bought on Sale for 50c in January. I also have half one that my mother made in 2022 for last year, and it's even nicer now.

Thanks everyone! For some reason a lot of internet sites also say it has to be kept frozen, but I’m reassured by you all (if I never post again after 25th you’ll know I contracted something terrible from eating it and died however!).

I’ll be eating one which I made 3 years ago, I’m expecting it to be good.

Have just been given a premium pudding as a present which has a best before date of October 2026! Will be eaten long before then.

Ate one the other week that was 6 months out of date, but the actual pudding was 2 years old. Still here.

I ate one last year that had a 2017 BB date (long story, mother loved a bargain in the post Christmas sales but it got forgotten). Absolutely nothing wrong with it, it was sealed and in great nick. Steamed it and ate with clotted cream. Delicious.

I opened another from 2008 the year before. That, however, was not edible and resembled a shrunken head from the Pitt Rivers museum.