Ditching expensive Out of date food

[teachingbean]

Ok so i have about 30 individual sachets of Hotel Chocolat Cafe Latte pouches.
All of them went out of date in November 2022. Collectively they are worth about £30. I only just found this out when I was clearing out my pantry. Would you keep or ditch? I am veering towards ditching.

No, I would use!

That’s crazy, they will be absolutely fine! It’s a best before date, not a use by.

I would use them up tbh.

Try one. If it tastes bad chuck them, if it's alright, keep.

100% keep. They're just l shelf-stable dry ingredients like milk powder and chocolate.

They will be absolutely fine

I've just used Aldi's version of Jus Rol readymade shortcrust pastry for a quiche. Says on the packet to use within 24 hours of defrosting. I used it a week later and I'm fine. Think it depends on the product.

I’d use them. And buy some good biscuits to accompany them.

I'd use them for sure! It's a best before date not a use by date, so they will be safe to eat, just might not taste as fresh.

I think they would be OK to use. Probably full of sugar which is a preservative. You could taste one and see if its OK. The date of Nov 22 is probably best before, not use by. Its very unlikely to make you unwell, more that it might not taste as good as if it was in date.

But then I'd also think if they've been in your cupboard that long and not used, why will they be used now esp as we're coming into spring not winter? Should you get rid because you won't use them?

What a waste if you don’t even try them to see if they taste ok.

This is why we need to get rid of best before dates, nothing is going to happen to you if you drink them, they're dried powders that will be fine for a very long time, the only reason they have a best before date is they will start to loose their flavour. Try one and as long as it tastes nice then use them!

Send them to me!

November 2022? I wouldn't even consider binning them.

100% keep!

I'd use them for at least a year after the BB date for something like that

My big tub of hot chocolate went out of date end of 21, it’s absolutely fine and I’m still using it. I don’t understand why you’ve not even tried them to see if they’re ok, they’re dried, individually packaged and shelf stable.

Good for at least five years. Put them on Olio and someone will pop round before the day is out to pick them up, and anything else that needs to free up space in your pantry.

For things like this I’d use almost indefinitely if they tasted good still. Very different for meat/yoghurt etc though.

My dad and me once shared a Club biscuit that had fallen down the back of a cupboard (found when we were renovating) that must have been 5/6 years old as a dare to each other. We survived!

Why have they gone out of date? If you keep them in your pantry, will they sit there for another 6 months? Or do you not really want them and find yourself having them now to not “waste” them, yet you don’t actually want to?

read on a thread about diets and not “wasting” food (so clearing your plate or eating up the kids left overs or eating the last of the food in deriving bowls etc), eating beyond what your body needs is just as wasteful as putting food in the bin. Was a bit of a light bulb moment for me who would always have that last roast potato rather than throw it out or would eat beyond full to finish my food. This feels like that - you don’t want them do you, or they wouldn’t have gone out of date.

I did. All good. Thanks! My husband is a binner and I've picked up his bad habits.