to use a pack of lentils that are 3 YEARS out of date

[StealthPolarBear]

Just that really. Bag of lentils (unopened) and I've noticed the date is 2009 . Should I throw them out or are lentils never ending?

Just use them! You won't die but I can promise you this - you'll blow yourself inside out from farting afterwards!

I'd eat them. I'd leave the bedroom window open tonight though.

OK, I think I will get rid. I will also be feeding them to friend and children so maybe not fair! Do old lentils cause more wind?

I wouldn't eat a lentil even if it had just been born

No help here

If they are infested with little animals ( and ) then the cooking process will soon take care of that!

I don't think they will be 'off' but I know with dried beans they just take forever to cook if at all.

Off course you can eat them! That's why people dried things like beans and pulses in the first place - so they could store them for a long time. They might take longer to cook, and make sure you don't add any salt until the end. Salt toughens up the skins and makes them harder to digest, causing wind. Try adding a pinch of turmeric, or a slice or two of fresh ginger to the cooking water; this makes them easier to digest.

Should be fine, if they look and smell fine. With such things a date is only a best before date, not a use by date.

When my gran died last year and we cleared out her cupboards there was a tin of peaches with a best by date of 1989

3 years is definitely pushing it. No way from me!

Ooh I have split mn down the middle
With worra standing miles away looking green

I'm downwind of Lentilly's Fart, that's why

I would eat them myself but I wouldn't cook them for a friend just in case. It would be embarrassing if you all got ill and you had to admit you'd poisoned your esteemed guests with a 3 year old bag of lentils.

But what could you even actually get from a three year old bag of lentils? And you're going to be boiling them anyway.

I'd use them. I used some risotto rice last week from 2010 - and I lived to tell the tale.

I've eaten seven year old rice before and it was fine It was in a tuuperware type container with the lid on tight, and smelled ok, and there was no "wildlife" in there.

It will be absolutely fine!

Seriously, what could happen to you by eating old lentils? I wouldn't even look at the date on something like that!

I made a lovely lentil and sausage casserole with lentils dated best before 2010 last week. No strange after effects to report. Wash them thoroughly and pick out any funny looking ones. It'll be fine

when you have children younger than the use by date, I think it is safer to chuck them :o

(the ingredients, not the children. although at 5.30 am, I'd take a bag of lentils over DS tbh)

If its a "best before" date they may not taste as good as when they were fresher but they almost certainly would not do you any harm (specially after boiling)

I would never give any "use by" food to the children out of date.

They had corn I popped on the weekend "best before Feb 2009" apparently it tasted fine with a sprinkle of icing sugar

Check they are still properly dry. As long as they are, they should be totally fine. Rinse first to remove dust and obviously cook thoroughly in boiling water as usual.

If they have got damp at all, I would get rid - they could be mouldy/fermenting etc.

I have to agree with worra about lentils in general (although I am aware of the hypocracy of encouraging the children not to rule out things without trying them)

I'd use them...not sure what date would've been on my lentils. Bought a huge bag ages ago to make lentil curry with (yum!) and they have been stored in an airtight jar. I am just coming to the end of them now. The first time I made said lentil curry...2003!!!