I must credit this article to my mother, who has always read expiry dates religiously. I’m not so strict. I’ll eat spinach that looks good even though the ‘best before’ date on the package says it’s past its prime. It’s not turned to green mush yet? Sweet… let’s eat! I’ve also heard that eggs actually last a couple weeks longer than the date stamped on their cartons because farmers want to give themselves
extra protection against repercussions of someone eating a bad egg, which can be pretty traumatic. Fair enough! I haven’t encountered any tummy upset… yet.Most of us can tell when a piece of fruit goes bad, thanks to brown banana spots and such, but what about other stuff that isn’t so obvious or doesn’t come stamped with an expiry date? Do those things stay good forever? Do dried spices lose their potency after a while? Maybe they’re still technically safe to eat, but who wants to if it’s lost its flavor power?

‘Eat By Date’ to the Rescue!

Thankfully, there’s a handy online resource for finding out exactly when certain types of food go past their prime. Eat By Date is a comprehensive database compiled by a group of concerned citizens who wanted to educate the public on what ‘best before’, ‘sell by’ and ‘use by’ dates really mean. Did you know that these dates are not regulated by the FDA? They’ve also included ‘best before’ information for foods that don’t come with dates stamped on them. Food categories are separated into several categories:

• Dairy
• Drinks
• Fruits
• Grains
• Proteins
• Vegetables
• Other

You can use their handy search bar to enter specific foods. For example, when does quinoa go bad? If you’ve purchased it in bulk, like many people do, you might not know. Here are some stats about common foods and their ‘eat by’ dates:

• Quinoa: Lasts 2-3 years in the pantry, uncooked.
• Pickles: An open jar of pickles will last up to 2 years in the fridge (as if I could keep them that long).
• Dried Basil: Lasts to 2-3 years.
• Flour: Depending on the type, flour lasts for about 8 months.
• Vanilla extract: The artificial stuff lasts up to 4 years and the real stuff lasts forever!

All of these dates are based on proper storage procedures. Eat By Date also tells you how to tell if certain foods have gone bad, how to store them so they last longer, and other interesting facts. Fascinating stuff!