Food items you can safely eat even after their expiration date

Now don’t throw away food items just because a seal on the box tells you so.

We all know that everything we buy from supermarkets for our grocery comes with shelf life and expiration date. But it is very important to note that these dates are not indicative of the safety of the food. They just serve as a basic guideline to tell that food would be topmost quality till this time. But generally, it is seen that people go by what is written on the label and throw away the things past these dates. Because of this a lot of food goes in the bin. You have to keep in mind that most of the food items if are not stored properly, can be contaminated even before that expiry date. For example, bread can go bad if not stored properly, even before the expiry date. As a thumb rule, always remember that perishable items have more chances of contamination than dry and uncooked grains. Here are some of the food items that can be eaten safely, even past their expiration date.

Bread

Your breakfast staple bread can be eaten five to seven days, even after the expiration date. But it all depends on the conditions in which the bread is stored. If it is stored in a dry and cold place such as a refrigerator, then it can be safely eaten even after the expiry date. Just look out for moulds on the bread.

Cheese

Cheese can also be eaten safely even after the expiry date. Interestingly, even if you see mould formation on hard cheese, just cut out the rotten part, and the rest is good to eat. Just keep in mind that it smells alright. But be a bit careful with soft cheese as it has a great moisture content, so it can go bad fairly easily.

Pasta

Although the packed pasta has two to three years shelf-life, it is meant to last for even longer than that. Just store it in an airtight, dry box.

Chocolate

Chocolate is another item that can be consumed even after its expiry date. But sometimes chocolate gets covered with a white film, which often people mistake for a sign of contamination. But in reality, it is just chocolate bloom and is considered safe to eat.

In light of the pandemic, it is nice to save another unnecessary trip to the grocery store. Don’t you agree?