let's talk about expiration dates on foodstuffs

[Socalman]

Cooking oil often goes rancid pretty quickly. I like to be sure we have a few bottles on hand and always look for the farthest date when I purchase it. As others pointed out, it is the oils in nuts that cause trail mix to spoil.

I have eaten canned goods that are a couple of years past "expiration" dates and had no ill effects. Once again, others pointed out that if the can looks ok, no bulging or rusting, and the product does not have a bad smell, it will probably be good to go.

[realist]

Oils do go bad relatively quickly. I just got back from a road trip to Oregon and was starving. Sooooooo scrounging through the glove compartment I found some packaged crackers and peanut butter...........dry.......stale...........I ate them anyway I was hungry. When I go home everything got switched out.

I recently had some refried Rosarita beans which had a use date of 12/2010. They had a white lining in the can and were great. I also had some other whole pinto beans which were 18 months old and they too were great.

[Sniper-T]

Just rotated my 'oldest' box of cereal through, exp 1/1/2013. Honey nut cherrios... tasted just fine.
Opened a jar of cheezwhiz, from 2012 and it was darker and somewhat drier. Tasted more like old cheese. Didn't spread well, but was awesome for cooking/ melting on stuff.

[jamesneuen]

I know you guys say oil goes rancid quick but Lard is what I prefer and i have the same jar in my pantry from bacon grease and such that I have had going for 2 years now without sealing. Still tastes like angel shit.

[Katrina]

If your cans have been stored in cool, (60-55 degree) dry area AND they are not dinged or bulging or rusted, they should be good past the "best by " or Expiration date for a couple of years, maybe more. However, the nutritional value decreases with age. So you may have good (ie. edible) food but nutritionally it may not be as it was when first canned, I'm talking about store bought cans not home canned food. I know the Keystone company has it on their website if their product is stored in the kitchen cupboard, they say their product is good for 5 years. I read somewhere someone found tins of food that were a hundred years old. They tested it, didn't kill or sicken the test subjects, (I think it was cats or dogs) but there was no nutritional value left in the food. It was edible but that's all. If you packed your dry goods properly, they should be good for along time. Nuts go rancid so does vegetable, canola(etc) oils. I read somewhere you can freeze olive oil and it will stay good for about 5 years but no other kind of oil can be frozen and stay viable. I don't know about the solid Crisco, how long it can be stored before it turns. Haven't seen anything on that yet.I can't remember but I think the Colorado or Utah Dept of AG has some information dealing with food storage and shelf lives of food. I have it book marked at work , will try to write it down and post it.