Would you eat this? poll

[Chelli]

My dh just brought home a flat of about 15 cans of diced tomatoes. The only problem is the expiration date was in May of 2016.

 

Dh says they are fine because canned foods only go bad long past what the date on the can says.

 

I'm hesitant to use them.

 

Who's right?

[SparklyUnicorn]

He's right.  That is not a big deal at all. 

 

Food pantries would never throw that out.

 

 

[regentrude]

I'd eat them without second thought.

 

The canned tomatoes I bought recently have a date on them that is two years from now. On that time scale, plus or minus a few months is completely irrelevant.

[Storygirl]

I think they are fine. I'd aim to use them within the next few months and would maybe give myself a deadline of May, since that would be a year past expiration. But I think they would be fine long after that and wouldn't worry.

[Ethel Mertz]

They're absolutely fine. I'd use them without a second thought.

[Jean in Newcastle]

Your dh is right. 

[JumpyTheFrog]

It is probably a "best by" date and not an expiration date.

[Kassia]

I would use them and I'm super careful about eating things that are iffy.

[kiana]

Even the USDA says you don't need to toss that -- "Most shelf-stable foods are safe indefinitely. In fact, canned goods will last for years, as long as the can itself is in good condition (no rust, dents, or swelling). "

 

http://blogs.usda.gov/2013/06/27/before-you-toss-food-wait-check-it-out/

[The Girls' Mom]

I would eat them, no issues.  I *have* opened some tomatoes that were a couple years past their date that tasted very much like the can...but generally it wouldn't bother me at all to eat some that were within a year or so.

[Crimson Wife]

Tomatoes are acidic and will definitely keep. Meat/poultry/fish I'd be more cautious about.

[creekland]

Considering I just used a spaghetti sauce in tonight's supper that expired in May of 2015, I obviously have no reservations.  ;)

 

Every now and then cans get moved to the back of our cupboard and these things happen... We almost always use them.  I can't even remember the last time I got sick (stomach), so it hasn't bothered us.

 

If something smelled off or seemed weird, I'd decline, but short of that we eat things past their expiration date even if they aren't canned.  

[EKS]

If anything, going past the expiration date on canned foods is a quality issue, not a safety issue.  If there was going to be a safety issue, it would show up long before a two year expiry date.

[Tammi K]

The date on canned goods is about quality rather than safety.  As long as the seal is intact, they are safe to eat. And, you are such a short time beyond the date that the quality is likely ti be just fine.

 

[poppy]

I'm usually pretty squeamish but I'd use that, no hesitation.

[Hammfried]

You could make your DH eat a can by himself first and then watch his reaction. :)

 

As long as there is no rust or dents on the cans as mentioned upthread, they are probably still good.

 

ETA: A friend and I were just talking about limiting plastics and toxins in our homes (she has an autoimmune disease and thyroid issues) and BPA came up. She is even wary of BPA lined cans so that might be something to consider if someone in the household is extremely sensitive to the nature of the food packaging (and not necessarily the food itself).

Edited December 4, 2016 by Hammfried

[Guest]

It's crazy, but there is little science or uniformity for expiration dates. Canned items are one of those in which I happily risk going well past the dates.

[bwdiaz]

This website helps me navigate food expiration issues: http://www.stilltasty.com/

[Chelli]

Thanks everyone!

 

My dh had his best "told you so" face when I informed him that the Hive agreed with him.

 

:lol:

[1GirlTwinBoys]

I think they're fine unless the can is swollen or something like that.