Food Spoilage Table: how old is too old?
You probably realize just how un-frugal it is to let food rot in your fridge. No matter how good the price was, you waste money when you waste food.
When it comes to leftovers, we usually draw the line at 1 week or when it doesn't taste or smell quite right - whichever comes first.
With primary ingredients, it can be a little more complicated. Sometimes it's hard to know just when to call it a loss and toss it in the trash or compost. I found this helpful table at The HomeMaker's Mentor, where you are sure to find many other useful articles.
FOOD SPOILAGE TABLE
EGGS
When something starts pecking its way out of the shell, the egg is probably past its prime.DAIRY PRODUCTS
Milk is spoiled when it starts to look like yogurt. Yogurt is spoiled when it starts to look like cottage cheese. Cottage cheese is spoiled when it starts to look like regular cheese. Regular cheese is nothing but spoiled milk anyway and can't get any more spoiled than it is already.MAYONNAISE
If it makes you violently ill after you eat it, the mayonnaise is spoiled.MEAT
If opening the refrigerator door causes stray animals from a three-block radius to congregate outside your house, the meat is spoiled.LETTUCE
Bibb lettuce is spoiled when you can't get it off the bottom of the vegetable crisper without Comet.CARROTS
A carrot that you can tie a clove hitch knot with it is not fresh.CHIP DIP:
If you can take it out of its container and bounce it on the floor, it has gone bad.GENERAL RULE OF THUMB - if you can't find it on this list:
Most food cannot be kept longer than the average life span of a hamster. Keep a hamster in your refrigerator to gauge this.
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11 Responses to “Food Spoilage Table: how old is too old?”
March 2nd, 2010 at 10:13 am
here i was thinking this was informative.
March 2nd, 2010 at 12:06 pm
i love it!
almost threw up a little at the egg one, but this is classic!
March 2nd, 2010 at 1:22 pm
Finally! A list that makes more sense. LOL
What do people think is happening to those pickles & olives? When I see a list that give me some concrete answers as to WHY I should toss I will pay attention. Quality deterioration is NOT a reason. Bacterial growth is.
March 2nd, 2010 at 2:41 pm
Please don’t keep a hamster in the fridge. Unless you like your food smelling like a privy.
Susan
http://susan-chicdaisy.blogspot.com/
March 2nd, 2010 at 3:32 pm
Brenda,
I totally agree! I have a post about freezing foods soon that includes that very point.
March 2nd, 2010 at 3:33 pm
Susan,
But just think how much better the rest of the house would smell if the hamster stayed in the fridge.
March 2nd, 2010 at 6:25 pm
gosh! i was gonna clean out the frig. tomorrow..now i think..what’s the rush!!! may be i need to do it cause it is empty at the moment..that happens often when i act frugally. i love this post. (lllllllol!)
March 3rd, 2010 at 9:14 am
Dang!
I just read an artical on keeping eggs for up to one year in proper storage. I guess by then my eggs would be laying more eggs…..haha
Melissa
March 3rd, 2010 at 11:51 am
I think this is one of the funniest things I have ever read and I’ve read some pretty funny things.
March 3rd, 2010 at 1:48 pm
My husband does a sweep of the fridge every weekend. Cheese & milk if it’s before the ex date. He’s pretty practical when it comes to things like olives and pickles. Leftovers are gone within 3 days if not eaten. I had baby lettuce growing in it’s container and it got tossed. Oh well. Eggs never last long enough to hatch,
June 8th, 2010 at 9:37 am
Wondering if 5 year old open salad dressing or 3 year old open creamy peanut butter is still ok to eat ? OK I know the answer but I wanted to hear from other people on what they think ?
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