Mumsnet users share tips and recipes for using up food with Sainsbury's

[EllieMumsnet]

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‘Best before’, ‘use by’, ‘display until’…many of us are confused about what the dates on food labels really mean, and whether it’s safe to eat food that has passed the deadline. Sainsbury’s is on a mission to get to the bottom of this confusion and bust the myth that you can’t use food past its ‘best before’ date, therefore they would love you to share your top tips and recipes for using up food which has passed its ‘best before’ deadline.

Here’s what Sainsbury’s has to say: “We know that there is a lot of confusion between ’best before’ and ’use by’ dates, which is why are working with Mumsnet to dispel the myths about food date labels and to stop food from being thrown away that is still good to eat. After we found out through a previous Mumsnet thread that many of you throw away food that is past its ‘best before’ date, we created the below video to encourage people to rethink and make sure their food doesn’t end up in the bin”

Do you use the smell test on food that’s passed it’s ‘best before’ date and if it smells fine do you think it’s then it’s ok to be eaten? Have you got any easy recipes that are your go-to’s for using up food? Or maybe there are certain foods which you know will be fine past their ‘best before’?

Take a look at the video and share with us your top tips and recipes for using food which has gone past its ‘best before’ dates to be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £300 Sainsbury’s voucher.

Thanks and good luck!
MNHQ

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Brown bananas get peeled and frozen for smoothies or banana ice-cream.

I mainly use my eyes and nose as a guide. However, with eggs I'll put them in cold water: if they float they're v old and shouldn't be eaten. If they lay on their side they're fine and still fresh. If they stand on one end they're ok but would eat them fully cooked and not runny

I do what you've done in your video up there. I toast bread that's past it's use by date. I also open a soya milk, keep it refrigerated, and keep using it 'till it's gone. I've not been ill from it yet!

Used creme fraiche today a week after sell by date in a lasagne
Still tasted fine
I don't buy meat more than 48 hours in advance (except gammon) as I have had meat off before use by dates and I can't bear the waste of binning it
Don't really bother with best before for vegetables
Use up sad veg in soups
I've just frozen cheese from a specific dish as I know it will be wasted otherwise and change in it from freezing doesn't really matter if it's for cooking anyway

I make bread and butter pudding out of bread, hot cross buns, croissants etc which have gone past their best before dates.

I Bake with fruit past it’s best like banana or blueberry muffins or make soup with veg that’s the same.

Wouldn’t use meat or dairy products or anything that’s gone over the use by date tho!

Best before does tend to get ignored in our house. Especially with fruit and veg. I prefer over ripe fruit so brown bananas to eat are a treat for me but if I don't get to them in time they are made into banana bread. Veg is used with pasta or made into soup which is brilliant for work.
Use by isn't really a concern unless it is obviously off. Again, soups, stir fries or pasta dishes use it all up well. Fish and chicken are the two I don't think I could stomach past a use by though.

Generally if it smells okay I will eat it. I'd be more wary of chicken and dairy products than other food stuffs but a day or so over doesn't matter in our house.
Any veggies that are a bit sad or limp get turned into soup, tired fruit is blitzed into a coulis.
When shopping I always take fresh food from the back of the shelf and I'll happily lift up the plastic crates in the veg aisle to get to the longer best before dates.

Definitely smell it, taste a tiny corner or drop. I hate food waste and think we really need to get back in touch with how our food should be and feel confident eating it without reference to dates.

I make a lot of soup with feeble looking vegetables. And also a keen eye on anything that's looking a bit dodgy to put it in the freezer!

I also eat 99% of things past their use by date, and just give them a smell and quick look. With eggs I use the float or sink test! I never look at the date on the milk and sometimes find it's a week last it's date and still tastes fine. I also usually freeze meat as soon as it's bought.

Fruit that is past its best is great used in smoothies or baking.
Veg can be used up in soups.
Bread can be toasted or used for breadcrumbs and frozen (then used for stuffing, topping a pasta bake or making nuggets).
Most food is fine just a bit past its date though, I try not to waste anything.

As many others have already said, I too don't bother that much about use by dates and trust my nose and eyes.

If there's a lot of veg to use up I'll cook it all in a big pan then purée it and decant into smaller portions and freeze it.
This greeny - orangey gunge type mixture can then be easily defrosted and added to countless dishes as "veg stealth ingredient X" and also used to thicken soups and gravy.

Also I'll cook lots of just about going off potatoes, mash them and mix with some random leftover veg, then freeze in ice-cream scoop portions as "slimline" bubble and squeak.
This is good reheated in the oven and can be cooked from frozen.
(Courtesy of Slimming World)

I will happily eat canned food that is five years out of date or more so long as the CAn is not dented.
I never buy dented cans and ask for a refund on them if they arrive in my online delivery.

I make a big soup with left over veggies. I don't really look at the date on them, if they look, smell and feel ok then they go in the soup. I won't use meat or eggs past their use by date - ever.

I always seem to have over ripe fruit, so it goes into banana bread, apple sauce for Sunday lunch, and for the vegetables, they are either blanched and then frozen for use later, or chop, saute in butter and made in to a soup for work. My left over bread is grated lightly baked so it is crispy and goes into the freezer as breadcrumbs for 'fishcake Friday'. If I see meat which has reached it's best before date I will have a sniff and if i won't get around to using it, I will label it and put it into the freezer until I will be making a meal from it.

I regularly eat food that’s past it’s best before date. Use it as I normally would or use stale bread for toast/ breadcrumbs/ stuffing, veg gets thrown into a casserole soup or stew. I buy a lot of yellow sticker food And will freeze meat or fish on the day if I’m not going to cook it. It horrifies me to think there’s is so much good waste when so many are struggling financially.

I use eggs long after date, in baking mostly, banana bread with brown bananas and the eggs.

Cheese and veg gets used up in omelettes.

Freeze celery chopped up to put straight into soups.

Most weekends make bottom of the fridge soup with lentils, any wonky veg and stock.

I use eggs, fruit and veg long after best before date. For eggs I use the water test to see if they are still fresh

I don't buy meat/fish that doesn't look fresh

Breads/buns I freeze on the day of purchase

Fruits I make fruit salad, veg goes in to soups and stock or mix vegetable curry

I grate the cheese and freeze them

I use milk to make bread dough/dinner rolls/naan bread

Honestly not that good at not wasting but I do eat cheese after date.

if it looks and smells ok theb it's fine.
I'll use stale bread to make breadcrumbs and mix in dry herbs and pamesan, it's great for coating almost anything always eat yoghurt past the date it's always been fine.
cheese I will but off the mouldy or hard bit and use the rest.
veg I'll freeze or put into curries or soups.
meat I am generally stricter with however.

over-ripe fruit gets turned into crumbles

I use my judgement and if using meat past it's best I'll cook well for longer than usual.

Don't buy more than you need.

If it's near or just passed it's best before date i make room in he freezer and chuck it in there. I try to never throw food away!

Grate cheese and freeze it in smallish portions, then use in cheese sauce. Smoothies and soups to use fruit and veg. Freeze overripe bananas and whizz up (still frozen) with Greek yogurt. Pancakes to use up milk and eggs. Fruit compote to serve with yogurt, porridge, etc for fruit. Stale bread for breadcrumbs and into the freezer, panzanella salad, bread and butter pud, flavoured croutons to add crunch and taste to soups and salads. Whizz up fresh herbs that are looking a bit tired with any of olive oil, pine nuts, anchovy, sun dried tomatoes, roast peppers, parmesan to make pesto/salsa verde type sauce. Peel, mash and freeze potatoes that are past their best.

Best before means nothing to me - as long as it's not gone off - soft new potatoes make great mini baked potatoes, stale bread is perfect for bread & butter pudding and overipe bananas are perfect for banana cake.