To put a roast chicken in the oven. Use by date 23rd

[mangomelons]

Of November obviously.
I really don't want to waste it. If it's cooked thoroughly will it be ok?

If it smells and looks ok, I'd go for it, but we're always eating out of date food. I'm a bit anal about all other aspects of food hygiene, but I reckon that an awful lot of use by dates leave a wide margin for error.

I never had an upset stomach until I had campylobacter at the age of 48. Fifteen years on, I've never had another upset stomach.

Should add, the campylobacter was caused by a beef bourgignon that I ate in a gastro (enteritis) pub.

If in doubt throw it out

Dates are just a guide. You wouldn't eat it if it was off but within the date, so why bin it if it's not off but outside the date?

Not with chicken. Good god, not with chicken.

That’s reckless endangerment.

I'm usually in the 'eat it' brigade (stuff of floor, out of date lentils on here recently) but I def wouldn't roast an out of date chicken
It's got so many nooks and crannies in it for bacteria to hide.
Tbh I don't think you'll properly enjoy it anyway

I would not do this with chicken -

Chicken can go off and still cook alright, but the stink or lack of isn't a guide. There he smell of the chicken meat breaking down, but then there's different forms of bacteria, some deadly.

I did once open a chicken that I had literally just bought to discover it stank and had to take it straight back, it was revolting. I had kept thinking that something at the till stank!

I have to say I never look at the sell by date again once I've bought and refrigerated it. It'll get used he weekend after I buy it normally, or the following week. I don't even know how long you 'have' to cook it by.

We've never had the vomits from it. Never had sicky DC either. Vom is extremely rare in our house.

The only problems I've ever had were from a prawn sandwich bought from a supermarket & another sarnie bought from a corner shop. Never had any issues otherwise (though a PP's tip for quick weight loss is actually slightly tempting!). Maybe it's more a case of be extra careful if you're prone to that sort of thing but go with it if you're generally strong of stomach.