Out of date coleslaw - I’ve pushed the limits so you don’t have to

[FusionChefGeoff]

If you throw away perfectly good food just because of a date printed on the pack, look away now.

I am very cavalier about dates - although pretty hot in food prep and hygiene storage.

I ate some coleslaw yesterday which was dated 5th September. Yes, that’s right. THREE WEEKS out of date.

Im fine.

My immune system did its job and any bacteria that were lurking have been dealt with. I know that people who are immunocompromised would not approach this in the same way!

Admittedly I did think at the time ‘well, no major plans for the next 48 hours if the worst does happen’ but I still risk assessed it and decided to go for it

I find coleslaw goes a bit "fizzy" when its off. Up until then fair game.
I have ham and cooked chicken pieces in my fridge (unopened) which are 2 weeks past their date. If they smell OK they will be eaten

I hope your good health continues, op, but you’re not necessarily out of the danger zone yet? Some food poisoning can take up to 3 days to kick in.

Hahaha! Love this! See also fizzy houmous, fizzy yogurt, furry bread- fine once you have chopped the fur off. Must admit would be more worried about the cooked meat. Think meat bacteria is worse.

I found hash browns in the freezer. Sell by date 2023. They were fine.
Now, do I win a prize?

wouldnt be me.

the savings i’d think i’d made in cash would be lost in the extra bog roll and baby wipes i’d have to buy my rear end….

Maybe I’ve got a particularly solid stomach but all as usual in the bog roll department so far

It hadn't gone fizzy then? There aren't many things that would put me off coleslaw, but lurking bubbles would be one of them.

Nope no bubbles or fizzy sensation - smelt fine. Finished it off at lunchtime

Coleslaw or cheese are ok but meat spoilage has no odour and is dangerous

DH eats stuff months out of date like Martin in Friday Night Dinner. He is a retired science Prof and very knowledgable. One of our friends also a retired Academic used to go dumpster diving when he was between work contracts, now that’s brave.

Nothing goes off in the freezer!

Fizzy coleslaw and fizzy fruit salad are excellent medicines if you are constipated. Ask me how I know…….

Just had a lovely sirloin fresh steak the went ‘out of date’ 7 days ago. It was delicious……

If they are frozen they will be. The texture can deteriorate over time but hash browns kn the freezer for a couple of years wouldn’t be a problem at all .

Meat is the only food I’m really careful with - 1 or 2 days past, and no more. Cooked rice as well obvs, but otherwise, I’ll rely on my taste buds

Feta cheese 8 months out of date was absolutely fine.

We also have waxed cheese in weird flavours from last Christmas and the one before that we will get round to eating one day. Not expecting any issues.

Meat is often fine- especially if it’s unwrapped or still originally sealed. They hang things in the processing plants to age them well. 30 day aged steak? Why are we worrying about a week in the fridge?

I normally give coleslaw a few days. But regarding when things like salad go fizzy, isn’t that fermenting which is meant to be good for you ? Prebiotics?

If it has separated it goes in the bin otherwise l wouldn't care! Down the hatch!

I can report that suet is rancid at 18 months beyond BBE. Makes funny tasting dumplings but not poisonous.

Also now that many things aren't properly encased in plastic it will go all dried out in the freezer so something to be aware of.

Was the feta cheese unopened? I had some the other week which I’d had open for a week or so, and then we’d gone away for a week, and the smell in the fridge when we returned was horrendous. It was definitely the cheese.

Obviously yogurts are indestructible since I had a Greek yogurt the other day that was use before 1 July. Apart from tipping out the accumulated "water" whey it was perfectly fine. I don't eat much meat but am wary of fish sometimes, but you'd know by the smell. I have two big fat salmon darnes in the freezer best before January 2025. Must use them up. But they are for emergencies lol 😊

Yes it was unopened. I too have found that opened feta goes weird quite quickly but you can sometimes rescue most of it by cutting the outside edges off.

If you have any uneaten from a packet, put in a pot, cover with water and add some salt - lasts weeks that way!

I was visiting my mam and had some Philadelphia ‘protein’ cottage cheese that supposedly went off in December at the end of July, perfectly lovely and no ill effects