Is your food expired? It's surprising what the date on the packaging really means

Millions of tons of waste end up in the trash

Many people don't even think about how much food we waste, some of which could still be saved. However, the numbers don't lie. According to the website székeztészénélkul.hu, Hungarian households throw away a total of 576 thousand tons of garbage every year, of which 197 thousand could be saved, which is waste. This means that we produce about 61 kilograms of food waste per person per year, of which a little more than 20 kilograms could still be saved.

Thrown food also affects our wallets, as its value is 36,500 forints per person, which is how much we could save if we really only threw away what we can no longer use.

It doesn't matter what's on the packaging!

Whether a food can still be used depends on several things. First of all, we need to examine the packaging, because it is not unimportant what the manufacturer states. Laura Bogyó-Lippai, an expert from the Leftovers program, explained in a video what to look for.

First of all, you need to check whether the packaging says "use by" or "best before".

– the expert explains. But what is the difference between the two?

• Best before date: In this case, it is not recommended to consume them after the expiration date. This can pose serious health risks. Examples include raw meat and fish, and pasteurized or ESL milk.
• Shelf life: The expiration date does not mean that the product is unfit for consumption. If the product is unopened, undamaged, and stored according to the manufacturer's recommendations, then we can give it a chance after the expiration date, but only if the product is not intended for infants or toddlers.

Careful inspection is important for expired products

Before consuming any expired product, inspect it carefully. Check its color and texture, and whether you see any unusual changes, such as mold. Smell it, and if it doesn't have a pungent, strange odor - and the nature of the food allows it - then taste it. If it passes all the tests, then that food can still be used.

Opinions are divided about expired products

We asked our readers what they do with expired products, do they throw them away or use them if they still have time? The opinions of the commenters were divided, but most believe that, despite the expiration date, if it's still good, it's okay to keep it.

“Meat has sometimes gone to the trash before its expiration date, sour cream has never had any problems if I opened it after the expiration date, even if a week has passed,” wrote one commenter. Another reader shared his opinion: “If it’s not bad, it doesn’t matter when. Let’s say it’s been out of date for several weeks. But it doesn’t matter if it’s been out for a few days. If it’s bad, I throw it away, if it’s not, we eat it.”

Some people think that the sensory test mentioned by the expert is the best: “If I don't experience any sensory changes, I don't throw it away.” Another commenter agreed: “If it smells bad, is moldy, or is just plain disgusting, I throw it away, if it doesn't, we just eat it. We've never had any problems with it.”

Some people, however, believe that what has expired can go straight into the trash: “I’ll throw it away. I wouldn’t eat anything that’s expired, and I certainly wouldn’t give it to my child,” one wrote. Some wrote that they pay close attention to dates because they’re afraid of expired food, while others said that they “throw it in the trash immediately” if something is past its expiration date. However, the majority of our commenters still give expired food a chance.