To cook a chicken one day past use by date?

[MimosasInFrance]

I'm cooking Christmas lunch tomorrow and my dad has kindly purchased the chicken (small family, turkey doesn't make sense). It's a reasonable expensive one from a local organic farm shop.

I've just seen the chicken had a use by date of today. Dad thinks it will be fine, won't entertain wasting money on a new one and I don't want to offend him. At the same time, I absolutely do not want food poisoning.

Any advice??? Considering secretly buying a new one and replacing it, but don't want to be wasteful if it's not needed.

A few days ago I bought a chicken to roast for tomorrow’s dinner, and it’s a good job I checked the dates, as most of those on sale had “eat by 23rd/24th December”. Good idea to cook it today, I wouldn’t have thought of it either, although I might have stuck it in the freezer for a couple of days if I’d noticed in time.

Agree but wouldn't it take ages to defrost? 🤔

I don’t think you’ve time to freeze and defrost, cook it today and reheat it tomorrow.

Can I hijack and ask about the use by date in my giant cockerel that Ocado delivered with a use by of 26th? I’m assuming the once cooked on 25th, the remains won’t all need consuming by end of Boxing Day, will they? I am working on the basis that’s a cook by date…

Stick in freezer now. Take it out again just before you go to bed and put it in fridge to defrost again overnight.

Personally I would just cook it tomorrow. But if you are worried this is what I would do.

Yes, that will be cook by date!

As others have said cook it today. I often cook a chicken the day before a 'Sunday' lunch then it makes roasting the veg so less stressful as stripping the chicken has already been done.

The problem with opening it up and seeing if it smells or not, is what do you do of it does smell? You need a backup.

Cool it today, put in fridge, serve tomorrow.

Cook it today

Yes

What do you think they did for the many, many, years before dates on food was a thing

I would cook it still to be honest - only 1 day though I wouldn't if it was more

Many have mentioned checking for smell, which is a great idea. I would also check how the chicken looks/feels. For example, is it discoloured and or slimey. Good luck op!

Freezing and defrosting it a day later is absolutely pointless advice.

You also shouldn't freeze meat on or past its use by date as by the time its defrosted its well past.

Anyway. Roast it today and serve it with everything else hot tomorrow, wouldn't even reheat it tbh.

Or roast it tomorrow. The chicken doesn't know what day it is 😉

As someone who's worked in professional kitchens. The cook by is the important part. Cooked items are then good on average for 3 days post cooking provided it's been stored correctly 😊

@WomanhoodIsABirthright they generally bought only what was needed for that day or so. Due to not having huge fridges. Plus food generally travelled less miles so there was less chance of incorrect storage.

You also shouldn't freeze meat on or past its use by date as by the time its defrosted its well past

Of course you can freeze meat on its use by date, don't be silly. Have you never grabbed a yellow sticker bargain and stuck it in the freezer? Do you not understand what freezing does? Meat will not go off during the defrosting process!

Fine if you burn it to a crisp

If you're that worried cook it today and reheat the slices tomorrow. Personally I would cook it tomorrow, it wont go 'off' in a few hours time

It’ll be absolutely fine, but once you unwrap it you’d know immediately if it was off.

I’m utterly baffled by people who think food goes ping on the stroke of midnight & suddenly goes off, use some common sense :)

I'm prepared to let a lot of things go past their use by date, but I absolutely never fuck with poultry.

Don’t be silly, of course you can freeze meat & it’ll last as long as you choose to leave it in the freezer - once it’s frozen it won’t go off.

Honestly, no wonder there is so much food wasted in the UK!

I had a bad experience of opening a chicken on its use by date to cook and it stunk the whole house out - smell lasted hours (chicken went straight into outside bin).
I now will only cook a chicken the day before it’s use by date at the latest - that smell will haunt me for years it’s really hard to describe.
open it today if it smells ok cook it today - I wouldn’t even open it a day after it’s use by - I’m scarred for life
hope it’s ok.