Those who are more "relaxed" about Best Before Dates - would you eat these?

[HurdyGurdy19]

Clearing out the freezer today and I've come across two packs of pigs in blankets that we got from the butcher at Christmas.

Eight months on - would you eat them, or is that a step too far? I'm usually very relaxed about best before dates - there's nothing on the packaging about eat before or best before etc, but with it being pork, even I'm a bit undecided 😂

Yes I’d eat them

Yep. Unless they smell bad once defrosted but they should be still good

Even then, the main problem with doing this is the quality and texture of the meat (assuming defrosted safely in the fridge rather than left out in a warm kitchen).

Would they not have a use by date?

Oh from the butchers. No I think I’d throw them out.

Yes and I'd simply cook from frozen. I use a thermometer probe if in any doubt to ensure they are cooked through, but assuming they are chipolatas or cocktail sausages they will cook through quickly.

Yes, I'd eat them. Defrost in the fridge and cook on the same day.

Thanks everyone. They will be added to tomorrow's dinner in that case.

Hopefully I won't update the thread from a hospital bed, having contracted salmonella 😂😂

@senua - had a bit of pigs in blankets overload last year. I'd forgotten that the meat pack from the butcher included pigs in blankets, and bought four packs from Tesco. Even my pigs in blankets loving family had had enough by then 😂

I personally wouldn't. If it was a big joint of meat maybe. But when it has lots of different ingredients and it's minced I think you're not meant to eat it after about three months?
I could be wrong. Defrost them and if they smell alright then I guess they won't kill you? I am just a bit wary of things like that.

Yes definitely

Yep, no question. I've got a turkey in there from last December that I'm vaguely thinking of defrosting and eating this autumn.

I’m another who’d eat them if they’ve been in the freezer - wouldn’t even occur to me not to!

Yes I still have christmas food Im working through

OH wont touch it. Great, all the more for me

He is refusing to drink some tonic water that we opened last weekend because the bottle says 'use within 3 days of opening'

It only says that because it will likely lose some of its fizz and its about the quality of the item, not its propensity to kill you.

No.
Frozen raw sausage only lasts 2 months in the freezer
Frozen cooked sausage for 3 months

This is because sausage is a processed meat

Of course

I used some sausage meat I froze last Christmas just a couple of weeks ago …. It was fine!

If they've been in the freezer,they should be fine.

I have packs of stuffing Im eating.

Beautiful it is. You cant buy it any other time of year. Really annoying

I wouldn't think twice about it. There must be an enormous amount of food waste in the UK from people who don't understand the difference between best before and use by.

Ok. You know the standards are to ensure 100% safety and that going beyond them increases risk of food poisoning rather than they all instantly go poisonous at 2 months and 1day? So the older the food, the higher the risk.

In other words, you got lucky.

I've been getting lucky all my life by your standards. I pay no attention to dates of things that have been in the freezer and I cook previously frozen meat very thoroughly. Never had an issue.

I think that might be most people on the thread as uncooked meat always has a a use by, not a best by date.

Yes.

The best before date is because manufacturers want us to eat their foods whilst, in their opinion, the item is still at its highest quality and gives no cause for complaint.

You have frozen your product within that time frame and captured the quality.

Go for it!

Me too 🤣🤣🤣

Yes. 100%

Yes, but tonic water doesn't, which has also been mentioned.