23 Foods You Can Eat Past Their Expiration Dates

People often throw away food because of the expiration date printed on the label. Many foods can be safely consumed long after the printed expiration date. The expiration date, or "use by" date, is there to let the consumer know how fresh the product is. However, there is no danger in eating certain foods past that date. The date refers more to food quality than food safety.

Foods that are unsafe to eat usually look different and smell different from the way they did when you first bought them. Never eat foods that you are unsure about.

1. Beans

Dried beans last indefinitely if stored in a cool, dry place. Other pantry items, such as lentils and oats also last indefinitely. Those items are still safe to eat even though they have lost their freshness.

2. Berries

Berries usually keep for only about 2 days after you buy them. They might last longer if you give them some room to breathe. Put them in a single layer. If you wash berries in hot water for about 30 seconds, they will last longer.

3. Bread

Bread can be eaten after the expiration date on the package. Don't eat it if you see mold on it. You can toast bread and make croutons. White bread will last from 5 to 7 days when stored at room temperature. If refrigerated, it will stay fresh for 3 to 4 additional days before going stale. Packaged bread will stay fresh for at least 3 months if you freeze it.

4. Butter

Butter lasts a long time. Keep it in the refrigerator if you intend to use it within a reasonable amount of time. If not, you can freeze it.

5. Candies

Candies kept over a year won't taste as good as they did when you first bought them. Hard candies, dark chocolate, jellied candies, and caramel can last up to one year. Candy corn, chewing gum, milk chocolate, and white chocolate should be tossed after 6 to 9 months.

6. Canned Foods

You can use canned food from 2 to 5 years past the date printed on the can if it is kept in a cool, dry place. Do not use it if you see bulges, dents, popped seals, rust, or leaks.

Canned foods last longer than most other foods. Even so, they will not last forever. Canned vegetables, fruits, and some soups can be eaten 1 to 5 years past their expiration date. That's not the case with acidic foods like tomatoes and pineapples. Meats in cans like tuna, corned beef hash, and SPAM can be eaten 2 to 5 years after their expiration dates.

7. Cereal

If boxes have been kept in your pantry or cupboard unopened, cereal will stay fresh for 6 to 8 months past the date on the box. If the box has been opened, it will last between 4 and 6 months.

8. Cheese

Cheese can usually be eaten a month past its expiration date. Even if you see mold on cheese, you can still eat it. Just cut off the mold first.

9. Chips, Cookies, and Crackers

Chips, cookies, and crackers will stay fresh long after you first open the sealed bags. Make sure you keep the bags closed when not in use. Throw them away if they smell bad, taste stale, or crumble in your hands.

10. Condiments

Some condiments, such as ketchup and mustard, are good for 1 or 2 years beyond their printed dates if the bottles are unopened.

11. Corn on the Cob

In just 3 days, corn will be only half as sweet and delicious as it was when harvested. If you want your corn to last longer, cut it off the cob, and cook it in boiling water. Then store it in your freezer inside a zip-top bag.

12. Eggs

Try not to buy more eggs than your family consumes in a given period of time. You can use eggs within 3 to 5 weeks of purchasing them. The best way to keep eggs fresh longer is to keep them in their carton inside the coolest part of your refrigerator.

If you think your eggs might not be good to eat, place an egg in a bowl of water. If it sinks to the bottom, then the egg is safe to eat. If the egg floats on top of the water, then it is not safe to eat.

13. Fish

Fresh fish lasts only 2 days in the refrigerator. Raw fish can last between 6 and 9 months in the freezer. Smoked fish can last for 3 to 6 months in the freezer. Commercially frozen fish will keep for 10 to 12 months. Unopened canned fish such as tuna can keep for between 2 and 5 years past its printed date.

14. Frozen Foods

Raw meat and poultry will only keep for a few days in the refrigerator. However, they can be kept past their sell-by date if you freeze them. Frozen ground meat will last 3 to 4 months. Whole chickens and turkeys can be kept frozen for up to one year.

Meats, vegetables, bread, and pastries can be frozen and eaten up to 2 months past their expiration dates. Unopened packages of frozen fruit and frozen vegetables are good for 8 to 10 months beyond their printed date.

15. Honey

Honey is known to be one of the few foods that can last forever. That's because it is made of sugar, which makes it hard for bacteria or microorganisms to affect it. Because the product doesn't contain much water, it will spoil only if there is moisture. If kept for a long time, honey will crystallize. That doesn't mean it has gone bad. It does mean it is hard to get out of the jar because it doesn't pour.

16. Milk

You can tell if milk is bad if it smells sour, looks discolored, or has lumps. Dairy milk can last 5 or more days past its printed date. Non-fat milk can last between 7 and 10 days past the date on the carton. Whole milk can last between 5 and 7 days past the expiration date.

If unopened, powdered milk can keep up to a month past the sell-by date. Regular powdered milk often has a "best by" date of 18 months, but according to the USDA, since powdered milk is a shelf-stable food, it may be able to last indefinitely. Some stores that sell non-fat powdered milk claim it can last more than 25 years.

17. Nuts

Nuts will go rancid if they are kept too long. They won't make you sick if you eat them, but they won't taste good. It is best to throw them away. Some people freeze them to keep them fresh. Others say they toast old nuts in a pan in the oven to revive them.

18. Pasta

Dry pasta will last long past the expiration date. Because it doesn't contain water or any other liquid, it will stay fresh if it is kept in a dry place in an airtight container. You can keep boxed pasta 2 years past its printed date.

If you purchase freshly cooked pasta from the deli or make it yourself, do not keep it longer than 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator. It will be safe if you keep it in the freezer for 6 to 8 months.

19. Peanut Butter

Unopened jars of peanut butter with preservatives can keep up to a year past the printed date. Keep the jars in the refrigerator. Even so, they last only 3 to 6 months past the expiration date. Because it has no moisture and plenty of oil, regular peanut butter can last 3 to 5 years. It could become rancid after 9 to 12 years. It won't hurt you; it just won't taste good. Nutella lasts only 1 to 2 months past its printed date.

20. Rice

Uncooked rice can last 30 years if kept in an oxygen-free container. Regular white rice will last up to 5 years if left in the box, according to the US Department of Agriculture and the US Food and Drug Administration.

21. Salad Mixes

If you see any wilted leaves in your salad bag, just pinch them off and throw them away. The rest of the lettuce can still be eaten. You can revive lettuce by rinsing it in ice water. Bring the leaves back to life by submerging them in ice water for 5 to 10 minutes.

22. Yogurt

When unopened, yogurt will last 2 to 3 weeks in the refrigerator past the date on the container. It will be good for up to 2 months in the freezer.

23. Alcoholic Beverages

Liquor: Unopened bottles of alcohol such as vodka, whiskey, and rum will stay fresh forever as long as they are sealed and stored in a cool, dry place.

Beer: Beer does not keep its flavor indefinitely. It won’t spoil, but the flavors change over time. Try to drink your beer within 6 months of the bottling date.

Other Foods

There are other foods that can be used long after their expiration dates. The foods listed above are just a few popular ones.