Every day we throw away groceries – and with it money! The best-before date tempts you to throw away products earlier than necessary. It’s around 260 euros that slip through our fingers per capita and year. In fact, food often has a much longer shelf life. The courier explains.
The key is the difference between the best before date and the use by date. The use-by date applies to perishable foods such as minced meat. The package should then say “Use by…”. The best before date is different. This only indicates how long the manufacturer can guarantee that the product will still taste, smell and look as promised. Provided it is in the original packaging and has been properly stored.
Fortunately, the government is also aware of how confusing the difference between best-before dates and use-by dates is. For this reason, Federal Minister of Agriculture Christian Schmidt wants to completely abolish the best-before date for long-lasting foods (such as coffee or pasta). But that can take time. With these tips you can start saving money immediately.
Tip for shelf life: be sure to throw away moldy food
No matter what the date on the pack says, if a product starts to get moldy, it must be thrown away immediately! This applies in particular to water-rich dairy products such as yoghurt, quark or cream cheese. For bread, by the way, too: don’t cut around the mold spot, but throw away the whole bread.
You only have to pay attention to the date for highly perishable foods such as minced meat.Panthermedia/ IMAGO
Tip for shelf life: identify spoiled food
Trust your own senses and check by sight, smell and taste. Does the product taste or smell unpleasant or has it discolored? A special trap lurks with frozen products: Pathogenic germs cannot be detected here. So if in doubt: get rid of it!
Tip for shelf life: store food properly
In the case of perishable goods such as minced meat, the following applies: put away as quickly as possible so as not to interrupt the cold chain. The following things also belong in the refrigerator: meat, fish, prepared meals, milk and milk products, cheese, butter, eggs, jams, dressings, sauces. Some types of vegetables (such as potatoes) should be stored in a dark and cool place, but not in the refrigerator. Tropical fruits such as bananas or pineapples and cold-sensitive vegetables such as zucchini and tomatoes should not be put in the fridge at all.
Tip for shelf life: Observe fruit and vegetables closely
Although fruit and vegetables are also perishable, they do not have a best-before date. That’s because it’s harder to assess. Every apple, every tomato has its own shelf life. Luckily, we are used to taking a closer look at fruit and vegetables before eating them. If you want to waste less food, it can help to treat other products as you are used to with fruit and vegetables.
2023-08-15 20:28:34
#knowledge #durability #saves #money
