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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I try and keep an eye on dates but tbh as long as here is no mould and it smells fine I’ll eat it. (Have to admit to scraping mould off the top of jam and off the side of cheddar and eating regardless). Keeping food sorted properly is important to long life too.

I don’t tend to look at dates on my vegetables, I just go by what they look and feel like.
If something is coming towards the end of its life then I usually make a scrappy spaghetti, which is usually some sort of meat (sausages are nice), roasted vegetables and mixed with a tomato sauce. It’s lovely and filling.
I find most veg can be frozen easily too.

Lots of good ideas on here. I tend to work out what ingredients we have that need eating as soon as possible, and then use google to find a recipe. We are vegetarian and usually have a fridge full of veg that go well together and have a DD who will eat pretty much anything - which helps this work out!!

We have hardly anything food waste, if we think we won't get to eating something we make it into a meal and freeze it in portions for another day

I tend to ignore best before dates. Any veg that is looking close to being past it, I either make a veg stew / curry / soup or put in the freezer ready to use for stock another time. I only really buy meat and fish for two or three meals a week so its quite easy to plan meals when that is still fresh, and if for some reason somehting gets close to being near the use by then I pop that in the freezer for another time too.

Literally eat everything. We pay no attention to best before dates. Obviously we wouldn't eat anything that was off but otherwise we eat it. Yoghurts you can eat way over their eat by dates!

We tend to just buy what we need there for there isn't any food around past best before or use by dates

If it smells fine and looks fine I will still use it.
Leftover vegetables are great for a delicious soup :)

I regularly do a "bubble and squeak" to use up veg and meat. The family love it and it's quick and easy to mix everything up, put it in a baking tray in the oven, cut into squares and serve with a poached egg on top x

No need for special recipes. Just the foresight to identify what is nearing the end of its usability and the flexibility to eat what is produced rather than what you "want"!

I have a very strict food budget, as over the years i have noticed how much food is wasted each week. So now i tend to shop everyday for whats needed, now we hardly have anything left over

We don’t tend to have leftovers but if we do I stick it all in the wok & do a stir fry

I was brought up on a farm and with a family keen on growing fruit and veg. We also had chickens so not a lot had use by dates so the smell test was essential. I still crack eggs separately into containers and smell them before adding to recipes, once bitten twice shy!

Love making sandwiches with cold meat and odd bits of cheese or fruit.

I meal plan and batch cook so their is no food waste.

I pretty much use everything past it's date. Plan ahead that is the biggest obstacle to reduce food waste oh and google! E.g. last night I asked google what I could do with cod fillets, and he did not disappoint.

I always pay attention to use by dates but other than that we are pretty good at using best before food stuffs.
I have discovered a lovely recipe for beef casserole with cheesy mash which we all enjoy ....the beef is cheap casserole steak and we use up leftover mash potato. The only thing we do tend to waste is bananas as none of us like them if they are over ripe and they don’t keep for very long.

Pick n mix pasta - pasta with a pesto or tomato sauce and then top with leftovers - spinach, ham, cheese, tomatoes, olives - whatever is kicking about before the next shopping arrives

For left over fruit I make smoothies, in the summer I also turn these into ice lollies and left over veg gets made into soups.

Any fruit or veg goes in the nutribullet.
Bread gets eaten...even if I have to cut out bits of mould. I'm coeliac and spending £3 every time I buy a loaf means I can't bear to throw any away!

lots of bubble and squeak a nd soups to use aging veg

I don't bother too much with the dates, if it looks good, smells good and has been stored correctly I will use it

Ont he rare occasion food if left at meal times it is either eaten by someone for supper or breakfast :)

Keep your fridge and cupboards in good order to avoid this situation where possible and then with things coming close to dates we meal plan and more often than not also get the slow cooker out to make a 'mix-up'

I never go by use by dates, I'll use mushy fruit for smoothies and make a lot of omelettes with soft veg. I do tend to freeze a lot so don't really have much wastage.