Know these products are safe past the use-by date for less waste and more savings!

There’s nothing worse than looking forward to some kind of food, only to find that it is passed the use-by date when you pick it up. There’s always that little inner conflict – do I eat it anyway? Or will it make me sick? Throwing out these foods is a waste but something we all do, costing us lots of money.

According to the Daily Mail, a man named Dan Cluderay from Nottinghamshire runs a business called Approved Food that provides shoppers with quality food at discount prices. Speaking on British television, he said that there’s two things people need to better understand.

The use-by date means food has to be eaten by that time otherwise it is unsafe and can lead to illness. The best before date isn’t so strict and some food can be consumed for weeks after this date.

The Daily Mail reports that the following foods can be safely eaten after the best before or use-by date, meaning less waste and more money in the pocket.

Milk: Pasteurised milk will keep 50 per cent longer if you store it at a lower temperature. Try storing at the back of the fridge rather than the fridge door. If your milk has gone sour, use it to make pancakes.

Eggs: According to a report by food scientist Dana Gunders, eggs can last for three to five weeks. But they have to be kept at a temperature below 5C (41F), as that helps prevent potential growth of Salmonella enteritidis.

Sugary foods: Anything with a large amount of sugar, such as jams or honeys, are safe to be consumed.

German sauerkraut and Korean kimchi: Safe as as they are foods which have been preserved through salting, curing or drying.

Crisps: While they may have gone soft, crisps are highly processed and loaded with salt so are safe to be consumed.

Biscuits: Like crisps, biscuits are also highly processed and thus can be consumed long after their sell-by date. If they taste soft or soggy simply pop them in the oven to get them crunchy again.

Dry pasta: Dry goods such as uncooked pasta, as long as it is stored in airtight containers, can keep indefinitely

Bread: Keep it in the freezer and it will last for ages. Just make sure you cut out the mouldy bits if you spot any.

Canned foods: Extend the shelf life of canned products by storing them in a cool and dark area.

Packaged salad: As long as your salad leaves haven’t gone mouldy (wilted and mouldy are very different) simply revive them in ice-cold water

Chocolate: Chocolate can last a long time often develops a white coating, known as the ‘bloom’, when it’s exposed to the air. This happens because the fat melts and rises to the top.

Deciding whether something is off or not comes down to some common sense and acting like our mothers – smell it, look at it and touch it to see what it feels like – if it looks, smells and feels safe then it probably is!

So there you have it! Did you grow up eating these things?