Ditch the dates – 15 foods you can eat beyond their expiration

As price hikes continue to eat into food shopping budgets across the country, Britons are being advised on the foods they can eat past their expiry date.

The team at online healthy food retailer MuscleFood have revealed 15 commonly bought food items which families should think twice about before throwing away.

This comes after the news many popular supermarkets are ditching expiry dates on their produce packaging.

According to WRAP 70% of food waste is made up of household waste, and although the UK has cut down on its food waste in recent years, there is still far too much edible food being thrown away.

Retailers have announced expiration dates will disappear from hundreds of essential food products over the coming months.

In order to adjust to this change, the food experts are urging Brits to get into the habit of ditching the dates and paying attention to the condition of the food, rather than the date on the front.

Ashleigh Tosh from MuscleFood.com said: “As well as buying less and keeping on top of their weekly budgets, Brits looking to save some cash should turn their attention to food waste.

“Throwing away perfectly good food makes a huge impact on households. Best before dates are largely unnecessary and lead people to think they can’t eat certain foods, even though they are usually completely fine to be eaten.

“Judging perishable foods based on their expiry date rather than their appearance or smell means people are wasting perfectly good food, and throwing their money in the bin.

“All you need to do is make sure food is stored properly to keep it fresher for longer.”

Here are the foods which can be eaten past their expiration date, according to MuscleFood:

1. Potatoes – These can last up to three months after their best-before date if stored in a cold, dark, dry place. When stored at room temperature, they can last two to three weeks.
2. Bread – Most bread can last up to seven days beyond their expiry date if stored properly. Just make sure to check the bread for mould before eating.
3. Cereals – Make sure boxes are closed properly and kept in a dry, dark place.
4. Yoghurt – If unopened, yoghurts can last up to two weeks beyond their expiry date.
5. Frozen fruit and veg – These can last for eight to ten months beyond their expiry date.
6. Vinegar – This doesn’t expire in the same way other foods do, but the flavour may change over an extended period of time.
7. White rice – When kept in an airtight container in a cool, dark and dry place.
8. Flour – This can be kept in packaging, but for long-term storage it is best to keep in an airtight container in a cool, dark, dry place.
9. Dry pasta – This can last up to 24 months after the expiry date when stored in the right conditions.
10. Soy sauce – Rather than going by the label, judge by spoilage signs. Soy sauce has a long shelf life but if left open for an extended time, check for mould and bad odour.
11. Biscuits – If unopened, they can last beyond their labelled expiry date.
12. Peanut butter – Unopened jars are still good for up to a year past their labelled expiry date.
13. Dairy Milk – Milk can last up to five days past its printed date. If you are unsure, make sure to sniff the milk before pouring.
14. Pre-packaged salad – Pay attention to the leaves, rather than the date on the packaging. Throw away any wilted leaves and the rest of the lettuce can still be eaten.
15. Fresh fruit – As long as there is no visible mould or apparent smell, fresh fruit is fine to eat past its expiry date.