How strict are you with BB dates on packets and tins.

[Telescopichair]

I'm rejigging my kitchen cupboards and checking dates on unopened packets,jars and tins. Some are being binned because they are considerably out of date but how strict should we be with stuff that's 2/3 years old but looks OK?

I'm very much a 'sniff it and see' person TBH.
I have eaten cans a year or two out of date, as long as they aren't warped or obviously dodgy.
I don't eat meat, fish or dairy though and I feel like they are the things you need to be really careful with.

You can eat stuff in packets and tins years past their 'best before' dates. They may lose some flavour but they won't do you any harm.

I normally tolerate + 6 months or so

If it’s a tin I don’t even look - it will be fine in years to come!

I wouldn't even check. Tinned goods last forever.I've eaten a tin of soup that was 10 years out of date.

Ate some passata that was 3 years out of date on Saturday. Not dead yet.

I opened a tin of tuna that was 5 years old and it had acquired a weird fluffy texture, so I chucked it. If it and the inside of the tin had looked OK I would have eaten it.

Tins and dry goods, not at all.

Veggies that have gone a bit floppy make great soup.

With fresh food, I rely on my nose for fish, eggs, and most meats.

The only things I am very careful with are cooked beans/hummus/rice, cooked mince and seafood because they can be dangerous.

Another sniff tester here.

If I had two of anything, I'd make sure to use the older one but otherwise..

Quite often the best before date simply means they haven't tested it for longer meaning they can't guarantee the taste or texture will remain the same after that date. Like others, I wouldn't particularly worry if the contents looked and smelled OK.