Pickles by Brian Crane for July 20, 2021

Mom’s right. Those aren’t expiration dates, they’re “best by” dates. And their purpose is twofold. The big one is to get people to discard and replace. The small one is to give people a pleasant experience when they use the product.

Never thought of maple syrup to go bad and taste off-putting.

He’s sweet and he waffles.

I use the – if it passes the smell test, then it’s OK to consume!! Exception would be for meat, dairy and poultry products!! Have been using it for years and I’m still alive and breathing!!

(O _ O)

Don’t know if Earl ever had a ‘best before date’.

That was uncalled for, Opal.

“…and it isn’t even a decade past its prime.”

That goes both ways Opal.

I remember an Andre Norton juvenile that had as a subplot the idea that maple syrup doesn’t really expire (though as friend dcandmx notes above, it can go mouldy).

Looks like daughter is getting nosy again. Ironic after the recent arc about setting boundaries. Guess it didn’t take.

It wouldn’t get within a country mile of expiring in this house.

Opal nice of you to keep Earl …. and the syrup !

Huh?

Some people are like fine wine.

I just had some canned corned beef hash. Best by 2009! Tasted just fine. In 2008, I stocked up as I thought things would fall apart. Worked great for 2020 when they did! I had a few cans of tomato products leak, but for the most part not a problem at all. $81,000,000,000 of food a year is thrown away in this country and that should expire!!!!

Remember: “Best before” does not mean “bad after.”

Don’t know if you noticed, Earl…you got cheap-shotted!

So, when will it be time to toss Earl out? I’m hoping she means when he dies.

Pot, kettle…

Thinking Earl’s “best by” date was 1975.

My best by date expired years ago.

Unfollowing today after a retry. For the same reason as before, I don’t like the edification of unwarranted insults and put downs (from nearly all characters). These only take away from positive relationships of spouses, parents, children, and friends.

I thought sugar didn’t go bad?

I am saying this for all the husbands of the world — ouch

When I was a kid , nothing had expiration dates… if it tasted bad or looked bad … then you threw it out…

My Dad spent 18 months in a German prison camp. I think it really affected his tolerance for eating food that was way past date. Food a year past expiration, “Ah, there’s nothing wrong with that.”

Hey! I resemble that remark!

Both are old and seldom used.

Salt (even as old as the deposits are) have best by dates.

Priceless

I know some folks that constantly look at dates and throw so much away. They don’t even do left overs, they are so paranoid. What a waste of money. They never have anything in their pantry. The pandemic hit and they were in trouble, no daily trips to stores or buying prepared meals. Hurricane hit and they almost went into a panic. We have enough food to last at least 6 months and we rotate them for the hurricane season. Some gets old but we are smart enough to know that if the can bulges, the food smells bad or has little things growing on it, not to eat it. We don’t need a greedy manufacturer or stupid government to tell us what to eat. Over 70 and going strong.

“Today’s hostile dig by Opal is brought to you by…. Aunt Jemima pancake syrup!”

ooh, nasty

Pearl ain’t no spring chicken either.

There are “sell by” dates, “use by” dates, and “best by” dates. Mostly I ignore them all. Milk is the only one I check when I buy. I have a box of Girl Scout Thin Mint cookies in my fridge that is at least 20 yrs. old. Still crispy, still tastes the same as when it was new. I eat one every 2-3 years. It’s practically a family heirloom by now!

“Best by” date is not an expiration date. Maple syrup, like honey, doesn’t go bad. And do they really spend the money to get real maple syrup?

Stayed at my son’s in-laws house while looking for a house in Albuquerque, she was in Portland for a while. She had condiments dating back to 2013. We threw them out and replaced them for her.

And taste is about 80% olfactory.

When my wife asks me if I think a food product is still good, I tell her, “Well, if it didn’t get up and walk away by itself, then it’s fine.”

Glad to see so many people here who are aware that best by/sell by/use by dates are not the best way to judge food quality.

Well Opal you are very much past your prime too!

I had a co-worker who wouldn’t touch a carton of milk if it was even close to it’s expiry date. On the other hand, she could not understand how a carton of milk could go bad before it’s expiry date just because it was left out on the counter over a long weekend…