Why do some people eat some foods after they have expired?

Question

I have a relative who owns a shop and gives us chips, chocolates, biscuits etc after they have expired saying they are still okay to eat. Firstly, what is the point of having an expiration date if it is going to be ignored and secondly, how long after the expiration date it is "still okay"? And don't worry, I just take them home and throw them out to not be rude!

Answer 1

expiration dates aren't the actual date that it goes bad, the FDA just says you have to sell it by this date or throw it out. because, the foods generally will go bad not long after the date. milk isn't bad on it's expiration date, when it smells sour, it is bad.

Answer 2

to save money

Answer 3

Definitely not a good idea. I think they do that because they think it has some type of benefit, but i personally would not consume something expired if i were u  

Answer 4

most "expired" people are unable to eat.

Answer 5

Lol, I thought you meant after the person expired...

Answer 6

well in order to insure that you don't get sick off their food a company must put an expiration date telling the soonest the food might expire. The store who sells the food is also not allowed to put the food out after the expiration date even if it is still good. If it is a couple of days I wouldn't worry about it but that does depend on the food. Dairy i would say, don't eat it! but other foods like cookies and snack would be ok.    

Answer 7

The labeling "sell by" tells the store how long to display the product for sale.  This is basically a guide for the retailer, so the store knows when to pull the item. The issue is quality of the item (freshness, taste, and consistency) rather than whether it is on the verge of spoiling. the "sell by" date is the last day the item is at its highest level of quality, but it will still be edible for some time after.  

Answer 8

because i'm drunk

Answer 9

Some drinks and food are still good after it's expiration date depending on what it is.Frozen meat can stay good for years. When food or  drinks get colder, the molecules slow down, which keeps the bacteria out from entering. If we cool things to keep bacteria out of our food.Why do we cook them? We actually heat up the food enough to kill the bacteria not make space for it. When you heat things up most things expand. But some things like milk can expire before the expiration date even says so. That is why you have to be careful on what you eat and drink. Your relatives should still not sell expired food, it could kill there business.

Answer 10

Because we think our bodies can handle anything. I've never got sick from doing this~touch wood!

Answer 11

The reason for an expiration date is that the manufacturer will not guarantee freshness after that date. Most foods do not expire the day after that date stamp. Take, for instance, potato chips. They know how long the gases in the bag, and the materials of the bag, will keep those chips fresh and crisp. So they make sure the expiration date is before that time period when the consumer will start to say "these taste stale." If the consumer thinks they are stale, they'll think that brand will always taste stale. And so won't buy them again. But if they see the potato chips are past the expiration date, the consumer may try the chips again later.

So that date isn't magic. It's just a way for the company to cover themselves. Now with perishables, like milk, I'd be a whole lot less likely to try it after the expiration date. But things like cookies and stuff, are quite fine and edible for a time after the expiration date. It depends on the product as to how long after.

Answer 12

Certain foods have a "Best by...." date.  This is not as strict as an expiration date, where the food would be spoiled.  On things like baked goods, they definitely don't taste as good and fresh after a certain date, but they are still quite edible and there's no reason to let it go to waste if it is still tasty.  Of course, there is a point where it becomes gross/hard/stale, and then it should be avoided.

Answer 13

There are "use by" dates and there are "best before" dates.

Use by means that the food will expire at that date and should not be consumed, whereas "best before" means that it's probably still safe to eat it a bit after the set date.

For example, milk will usually have a use by date, and it's not recommended to consume it past this point, while something like bread will have a best before date as it may start to go off after the expiration date.

It all comes down to your own judgement.

Actually, come to think of it, I've never seen expired chocolate.