To ask if I can use cheddar cheese 5 days past Best Before date?

[Butterfly98]

Just that really! I was planning on making macaroni cheese for dinner this evening when I realised just now that the block of cheddar I bought on Saturday was obviously past its best then but was still on the TESCO shelf at full price for shoppers! That will teach me to look at the best before dates from now on! I'm not going to use the full block though and I haven't got time to go back with it today....

It'll probably be fine this time next year, and if it wasn't...I'd just scrape the mould off

Just dump the packaging from opened crackers etc and store them in airtight glass jars or plastic boxes. Myself and dd usually have about 10 different types of crackers on the go as we like variety and they keep for ages like that.

As far as I'm concerned one good thing (no others for me) about Brexit is that I believe we are going to abandon 'best before' dates except on fish and meat. Not sure where I read it but seems a good idea. At the moment the manufacturers are cleaning up as some people slavishly follow the dates. The amount of food and drugs thrown out is scandalous.

It's cheese. Unless its turned into a big lump of green then it's fine!

Why not just ask yourself "if this didn't have a date on it, would I consider it safe to eat". If the answer is yes then eat it!

My ex three away 3 red peppers from my fridge because they'd past their date. They were red peppers. Hadn't even started to go wrinkly or soft. If I'd picked them from my garden, then I'd have thought "these are perfect for eating". He admitted he would too, but because they had a date stuck on them he refused to eat them. It's ridiculous.

I don't think I've ever looked at a date on cheese. It'll be 100% fine.

Yesterday I chopped the end off that had started with mould and used the rest of the block on lasagne and it was really yummy, especially with the

‘Best before’ dates should be banned. They serve no purpose other than to create waste by customers who don’t understand the difference between ‘best before’ and ‘use by’.

Anyone would think retailers know this perfectly well but continue to put best before dates on food because unnecessary waste is good for business.....

Or am I just an old cynic?

I'd use cheese a year over the date if it wasn't manky! Cheese doesn't last long in our house though!

You can judge whether the cheese is still OK, taste it (if it isn't mouldy). I'm sure it will be fine. I love mac cheese and am going to invite myself round to yours, I'll bring a bottle .

Just a good old sniff ! Never really occurs to me that Cheese may be "off "really though

If you have the oven on make croutons to save waste. Cut into cubes, drizzle with oil and rose Mary, salt, pepper. Bake 10 minutes or until crisp. They keep well in airtight jar, they keep their crunch. Also good crumbled and sprinkled over mac and cheese for the last ten minutes of cooking 🤤

Why on earth are people chucking away food because of something printed on the packaging?

I didn't even know peppers had a use by date on them... I did roasted vegetables on sat night with them in and I've been away on holiday so they're probably two weeks old.
BUT they are firm, not wrinkled

Please stop this awful waste everyone. Use your nose, your feel, and your taste. Unless it's raw meat/fish. Ignore use by and sell by dates.

I bought some reduced in M&S on its BBE and fully intend to use it a month later.

Put crackers, rice cakes, etc in an airtight box and they’ll stay fresh.

I keep mild cheddar until it's basically mature 🤷🏾‍♀️

@Roussette
When I came home from work and went to make dinner (which was going to be stuffed peppers that night) they were gone. I thought maybe he'd made dinner.... almost fainted at that... But nope, he'd chucked them in the bin. They were peppers! Smooth, firm, nice red. Nothing wrong with them and he stood there going "but they have a date on them from 3 days ago. We can't eat them". He just repeated it over and over.

On another occasion I had bought chuckle breasts and sliced them up. Hadn't cooked them yet, just sliced them into strips. We were then invited to the pub for dinner so I wrapped them up and popped them in the fridge. He tried to bin the chicken because "you've opened the packet and cut them up. We can't eat those tomorrow because they will be off".

He was a fucking idiot. So he's an ex!

Have you ever been to Cheddar Caves? Or Wookey Hole? They keep cheese in the caves to mature for months/years.

I don't think 5 days past it's BBD will hurt you.

Cheers 🍷 @Bluerussian you're welcome anytime! Mac 'n' cheese is a favourite here too! I jazz it up a bit with garlic, red onion, maple cured bacon, red pepper, mushroom and cherry tomatoes and sprinkle a little Parmesan on top for good measure! I know it's a Monday evening but I feel like treating myself to a glass of red 🍷 as it goes so well with this meal and I didn't have any at the weekend! So that's my new AIBU?!

*chicken!!! Not chuckle!

Completely fine. It's just matured a bit more!

I am really picky with dates on food, but there are two things I will ignore them on - bread and cheese.

It's just obvious when they're not okay anymore.

Lulualla
Not surprised he's an ex!

I hate food waste, so unncessary.

There's so much when it's obvious if they've gone off. Double cream or single cream - taste a tiny bit, you'll know.
ANY fruit and veg. It's obvious!

Plus a million other things. I'm careful with meat and fish and that's it. The rest I taste or feel or smell.

Totally! I thought you were going to say 5 weeks OOD or even 5 months! 5 days wouldn't even register on my radar.

Cheese is essentially a method of storing milk, with the exception of soft cheeses went to be served young, It has what you might call a certain in-built longevity. Once opened, eg supermarket cheddar, if not properly stored, it can go sweaty or hard and a bit manky but 5 days over is nothing.

It will be fine.

These dates are to avoid lawsuits, since we became a litigious society like the US.

Food stays edible and indeed, healthy, long after the use by date.