Is it OK to cook Beef mince with Use By date as yesterday?

[CityCommuter]

I was reorganising my fridge before going grocery shopping in a little while... Just saw the Use By date was yesterday on a packet of low fat organic beef mince... I've opened it and looks and smells OK but I usually would bin meat after the UBD... would you cook it later like I was planning to or not?

As long as it smells OK I’d use it

If it looks and smells ok then it's fine to use.

Things don't watch the clock hit midnight and say 'right lads, time to go off'

I never look at use by / sell by dates I just look at the product so from what you’ve described id use it .

I’d use it but would do something involving a prolonged cook time such as Spag bol.

It’s fine mince goes a funny colour when it goes off

Yes I would use it if it looks and smells ok.

I would use it or sling it in freezer. I often miss use by date by day or two and just chuck in the freezer

Yes.

If it's green or it grabs the knife from you, probably not. Other than that, I would. We regularly have stuff a few days past the dates. Personally, I think the dates are shorter than ever these days as supermarkets etc are covering their backs.

Yes

I would if it seems ok. Mince is usually quite visually off and it's only a day.

I wouldn't with mince as it's more prone to going off.

Yes I would, although I'd choose a recipe to ensure it was thoroughly cooked. I normally cook bolognese with the milk absorption method, but this time I'd fry it off first before adding to the tomato sauce bits and leave it to simmer for not less than forty minutes.

I would

You can tell when mince has gone off by its smell and colour

I have often made lasagne with steak mince that is off by one day. It's cooked to within an inch of its life (fried than baked, obviously) and has always been fine.

Ok thanks all! I hate throwing food out and have really cut down on binning stuff over the last few years compared to how I used to be... I'm going to do spag bol so at least it'll be cooking for a good hour anyway...

@Hankunamatata just curious, you say you freeze meat if it's a day or so past UBD so out of interest does freezing meat kill bacteria?

Use by dates aren’t an exact science

Have you never noticed how they miraculously get longer over the Christmas period?

As others have said, as long as it looks and smells fine, I’d use it

I would definitely use it. You would know by the smell if it was off.

@BLToutanowhere

If it's green or it grabs the knife from you, probably not. Other than that, I would. We regularly have stuff a few days past the dates. Personally, I think the dates are shorter than ever these days as supermarkets etc are covering their backs.

🤣

When mince is off it’ll either go green or smell. Or both. Either way, opening the pack, the sight and/or smell will turn your stomach.

It’s much better to go with your nose I think. I’ve bought things that have gone off before the use by date. It’s better to know it’s off than give yourself food poisoning with something ‘in date’.

Yes it's fine generally.

It will be fine, trust your nose and sight. I had in date chicken the other day and it stank and was green! Use by dates are not exact.

@CityCommuter no idea

I would use it.

I froze some beef meatballs a day or so before their use by date recently, they defrosted in the fridge yesterday and I forgot about them and we ate something else. I've been debating whether to cook and have them this evening - I'm leaning towards it being alright, they look and smell fine.