Who Consumes Food In Recommended 3 Days?

[pastafreak]

EEZABLADE32's sauerkraut query reminded me of my own question.
I've noticed more and more food items stating they are to be consumed within 3 days of opening. This first grabbed my attention on blocks of cheddar and quite a few other things. Singles like me would find this impossible.
As it is, I'll find myself eating some items day...after day...after day. All in an attempt to reduce the risk of a bad tummy. Not that I'm one to go into panic mode as the dreaded 'use by' date creeps up on me. But I know some people are quite capable of throwing still good food in the bin.
Is this another sneaky attempt to make us buy/waste more food?
Not that I'm a cynic, mind you.

[DTCwordfan]

tonight is my third supper of home made mac and cheese, cheddar, cream/mik/butter, tomato used and just about to throw in some streaky bacon and an oldish leek. Maybe a little green salad to go with it.

You can get a gippy tummy from things supposedly in date, last week some prawns in my case.

[barry1010]

Hard cheese like Cheddar freezes very well. I take no notice of use by dates - if it looks, smells and tastes okay I eat it.

[Patsy33]

I won't eat coleslaw after 3 days of being open. ( I think it says cosume within 3 days)

[naomi24]

You can tell by looking at vegetables whether or not they’re past eating, but I’m very fussy with meat, fish cream, cream cheeses, etc, because they’re the things that can make you really ill and I’d rather throw it away than take chances. Cheddar cheese goes past its ‘use by’ date though. You can see if that’s still edible.

[naomi24]

I wouldn’t eat coleslaw past it’s eat by date either, patsy.

[rowanwitch]

I use in-store deli counters quite a bit so I can buy smaller quantities, as for coleslaw I make my own. I never look at dates, I do what I always do, if it looks ok, smells ok and tastes ok then it probably is. Regardless of dates I don't keep shellfish beyond 12 hours once defrosted, and cooked chicken more than 48 hours in the fridge

[gingejbee]

Part of the problem (and this is a bug-bear of mine) is that many domestic fridges are running at way too high a temperature. Most "keep refrigerated" foods should be at 2 or 3C...many domestic fridges, when checked, can be several degrees higher.

[pastafreak]

I'm also of the mindset that if it looks, tastes and smells ok, I'll eat it.
DT...were they fresh prawns?
I recently got frozen Argentinean Red shrimp from Lidl...surprisingly good. Huge and juicy...I'd definitely recommend.

[jourdain2]

I don't go too much by 'use by' dates. I sniff, taste and use my common sense. Cheese keeps ages past said dates, for instance. I'm careful with creamy stuff.

[Arksided]

Hi Rowan, I've just cooked some chicken breasts half eaten now but the idea being for cold chicken sandwiches for next few days, put in the fridge in an airtight container is 48 hrs recommended?

[naomi24]

Food hygiene courses - you can do them on-line - are a good idea for everyone. You’d be surprised how judging by looking and sniffing is very often precarious. Dangerous in fact. Little bugs are experts at hiding from eyes and sniffers.

[Arksided]

I prod stuff with stick from a distance in my fridge if it's not evolved into a new lifeform and doesn't move then it's safe to eat.

I are of course joking folks :-)

[Patsy33]

Arky, we had a cooked chicken last Wednesday week and finished it early evening on the Friday. So 2-3 days. :-)

[Peter Pedant]

yeah depends
Market Manch
bought some farm meaty yummy sausages, and divided them into two

second day - vertical white threads sticking out at rt angles to the surface. ( mycelia - eek, growing on meat - eek again) . Those who know me as an ex-lab rat from Porton Down ( a fate doubted by some wise heads on AB) will agree I squealed plenty good
( and threw them away)
v.v.v.v. careful with meat foods after that

[Peter Pedant]

yes and no
it is the little old ladies who cook a chicken on monday and eek it out for a week, get it at the end of the week
and DDDIIIIIIEEEEE!

[Arksided]

Thank you PatsyXx I did think 2-3 days would be ok. Difference this time is that it's usually eaten on the day or the next so wasn't 100% sure.

[retrocop]

Bit of fur coat and mould on a lump of cheddar is no problem. Having a grated cheese salad tonight and have yet to see the state of my slab of cheddar in the fridge. I'll just cut it out . I'm sure I will still have a pulse tomorrow. :-) I doubt if I will find weevils either.

[DTCwordfan]

Cooked prawns from Waitrose and eaten within the ascribed period.....

[naomi24]

I'd hazard a guess that whoever packed those prawns wasn't big on washing hands, dtc.