Best before ?

[TheOtherHalf]

On our local radio it said that there are rumours to scrap the Best Before date on food as so much is being wasted because of it. The average family waste around £700 of food. What do you feel about this.
Im probably too fussy about BB dates, probably because of my Food Hygiene whilst training for catering but even so I dont throw away much food as I try to only buy what I need as usually try to make something out of nothing if you know what I mean.

[Prudie]

I grew up without this facility and food was tested based on look, feel and smell. I'm guilty of being nervous of eating stuff out of date now, especially things like prepacked fish and meat meals. Ridiculous really.

[pastafreak]

I heard something about that last year...it will be a good thing as too many people don't use common sense. I too am in catering,and my boss uses everything-never mind dates. We really can't afford to waste food.

[TheOtherHalf]

I agree pasta, it would be a good thing but where will people draw the line.People not so well off may give OOD food to their children ( although they are probably doing that already) and elderly may suffer not knowing whether to eat it or not.
Smell and looks of food is a good idea but what if you buy something which has no BB date on and its `gone off` how can you claim your money back or prove you only bought it yesterday or day before.?

[rojash]

They are not talking about doing away with dates altogether, just replacing the "best before" which gives an artificially short shelf life with "use by". At the moment, food that is perfectly safe to eat, is thrown away because the manufacturer claims that it won't be at its very best after a certain date. Just as an example, a loaf of bread with no preservatives is at its best for only a single day, but is quite edible for anything up to a week (or even longer, depending on how it's stored).

[sophie_1003]

The main problem with food wastage has got to be in supermarkets, I work at a Co-op and we throw away loads of fruit and veg that has gone past it's 'Use By' date even if you can see that it is ok, purely because we are not allowed to sell it

[ummmm]

Like Rojash says. They have 'sell by' and 'use by' at the moment. The 'sell by' will stay as an indication...

[Lore]

I throw stuff out even before the use by date if its not looking too healthy.

I do plan meals around ingredients though so that I'm not throwing lots away.

[modeller]

Having grown up in the war I never waste food and nowadays it so easy anything left over can be curried .
Most people seem confused with all these different dates as rojash said fresh baked baked bread does taste best the same day but would be safe to eat after months if frozen.
My favourite grouse is this 3 for 2 offers . Tesco is full of them. I didn't buy any of them . I live alone as do 20% of our population, so why would we want 3 litres of olive oil or 3 jars of marmalade . I told the manager I wouldn't be buying any of them at all.. He agreed with my point but said it was company policy.

[mike11111]

I agree with Modeller as I am in the same position (though of slightly post-war vintage). BOGOFs , and their variants, irritate me because even with non-perishable goods of some weight there is the problem of carrying them home. There was a case not so long ago of a lady who selected a single item which was part of a BOGOF offer. She took it to the checkout and said that as there was no way that she could profitably make use of the second item, could she have this one at half-price. After the manager had been summoned he agreed, and let her have it at half price. Sometimes making a fuss pays.

[4getmenot]

they dont have best before dates on things in the states. Just use by. Id be fine with it.

[gingejbee]

Actually, Best Before dates are NOT on short-life products, only on longer-life things eg cans and jars.

[237SJ]

forget - they do have best by dates in the states. I think best before is a good guide and you can use your common sense around it. I think use by is too specific though. I would use eggs and bacon for example for a couple of days after use by.

[4getmenot]

and sweets, cakes and biscuits

[vulcan]

How accurate is the use by date, do supermarkets play safe and allow a day or two
"just in case" ?

[SUSPECT]

This is a bad idea as shops will be selling food well after they should at full price.

[237SJ]

I think they need some sort of best before guidance on supermarket food. In the "old days" people would go to a butcher and he would know how old the meat was and would advise about storage times. People went to fruit and veg markets and bought food every other day. It wasn`t stored for ages. The best by system has come about because food is sometimes days old before it even gets to the shelf and the shopping experience is so impersonal that the consumer has absolutely no idea how old the food is. My gran didn`t have a fridge. She had a cold room but she knew where the meat/cheese came from and how old it was so she knew how long she could get away with storing it like that.

[boxtops]

It's been on the Channel 4 news just now, people throw away thousands of pounds worth of perfectly good food because of the dates. I work with someone who chucks away everything the day BEFORE it expires - it's ridiculous. She was horrified that I was still eating yoghurt dated March... I keep things until I can tell they are off (or at least turning) - we don't waste anything unless we really have left it too long.

[boxtops]

.. and PS, I'm just eating a ginger cake that's been in an airtight container, the BBF date is January - nothing wrong with it at all.

[ummmm]

People should come shopping with me.

[boxtops]

ummmm, I live in the shortdated shelf, I can't afford to shop for stuff that's got "long shelf life"!