Really: you can still eat all these products long after their best-before date

Throwing food in the trash because it’s past the best-before date? No way. How something tastes or smells is often much more telling than the date printed on it. These are the things we still eat long after the best-before date:

Chocolate

That opened and then forgotten chocolate bar has turned completely white. Don’t panic. The cocoa butter has crystallized. This is caused by temperature fluctuations and is harmless. Want to prevent chocolate from discoloring? Store it in a dark, dry place.

Chips

The fact that chips go soft after their best-before date doesn’t mean you can’t eat them anymore. The salt keeps them good indefinitely. So don’t throw them away. You can make stale chips crispy again in no time by placing them in the oven for a moment, sprinkled with a little olive oil. 

Eggs

Refrigerated eggs are usually still perfectly fine to eat a few days after the best-before date. Not sure whether that stray egg is still good? Place it in a glass of water. If it floats, it’s better not to eat it. If it sinks, there’s nothing to worry about.

Pasta and rice

The best-before date on a packet of rice or bag of pasta is mainly there because it has to be. Otherwise, that date isn’t particularly meaningful: you can store dry rice and pasta much longer than the packaging indicates. Preferably in a cool, dry place and in a sealed container.

Sugar

Honey, jam,  cookies: everything containing a lot of sugar can be eaten long after its best-before date. Sugar is not only a flavoring, but also a preservative.

Milk and yogurt

Especially if you put the carton straight back in the fridge every time, there’s a good chance you can still drink the milk shortly after its best-before date. Always look, taste and smell it first. The same applies to yogurt. And that layer of water in it? No worries, it has nothing to do with the best-before date.

Cheese

Cut off hard edges and, if you like, taste a small piece first. Dangerous? Not at all. But be a little more careful with soft cheeses—think brie, feta and camembert. They contain more moisture, so bacteria grow in them more quickly after the date has passed. 

Spices

If you keep dried spices for longer, their flavor fades somewhat, their color becomes duller and they smell less intense. But you can still use them perfectly well in dishes. Simply use a little more if necessary. 

Canned food

After the best-before date, the contents of the can may not taste quite as strong anymore, but they aren’t spoiled. As long as the can is still completely intact, of course. Is the can bulging? Don’t use it.

Also read:

• Never eat spoiled food again with this app
• How long can you keep food in the freezer?
• Are your eggs still good?