The dates we find printed on products are the manufacturer's suggestion for when the food is at its freshest, not when it is unsafe. And the sell-by date can be confusing, leading people to throw out the food well before it has gone bad.
Meat
If you freeze it, it will give the meat around a 50% longer shelf life.
Francine Orr/Los Angeles Times/TNS
Canned goods
Keep the cans in a cool, dark area to extend — and in some instances, double — the shelf life.
NORMAN NG
Pasta
Since it's a dry, hard product, it won't spoil easily. You can use it past the expiration date, just make sure it doesn't smell funny.
Kirk McKoy/Los Angeles Times/TNS
Bread
Bread will keep in the freezer past the expiration date as long as you don't spot any mold.
TALIS BERGMANIS
Fresh fruits and vegetables
Use common sense with fruits and vegetables. Check if it's mushy, moldy or has an "off" smell.
Jeff Wheeler/Minneapolis Star Tribune/TNS
Frozen food
These products will keep long after the expiration date, but if we're talking meat, the expiration period will usually only extend by 50 percent.
CHRISTOPHER A. RECORD
Dry goods (crackers, corn chips)
Check if the chips or crackers are stale. You can try crisping them in the toaster oven. But if they smell odd, throw them away.
