BEST BY DATES DON'T MATTER - Stop Food Waste - Pantry Organization and Expiration Dates

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

What's a food you find yourself wasting most often? GET MY NEW BOOK DEHYDRATING BASICS & JOURNAL HERE: shop.thepurposefulpantry.com

[@lucky0n3]

I agree 100%.. the waste in our country is really troubling - thank you SO much for sharing this valuable information!!

[@bmac5242]

Helpful info - thank you. I've been looking for a pantry shelf like your white one in background. Did you purchase or build it?

[@marygrott8095]

Darcy, did you get the email I sent about my book order?

[@gowest5145]

I don't waste food. My grandma went thru the Great Depression and she hammered into my head not to waste anything. When you grow older it sticks with you.

[@theonewhomjesusloves7360]

Havent received mine but should be here any day...🤞🤞🤞cant wait

[@L1623VP]

The media makes people paranoid about food safety. One other misconception involves the date on egg cartons. Eggs will keep in the refrigerator for four to five weeks after the date on the carton. Of course, the older the egg, you should always do the smell test, but don't throw your "expired" eggs away either because they aren't.

[@EvilSanta482]

The easier test is to put it into a cup of water and see if it floats. If it floats completely off the bottom it's bad and should be tossed. The closer it gets to floating completely off the bottom without actually floating means the quicker it should be used up. Worst comes to worse hard or soft boil them to extend their shelf life. You'll also find they'll peel much easier being older then fresh eggs.

[@conniegraves1773]

You should float your eggs no matter how old. This is how I test eggs

[@EvilSanta482]

@@conniegraves1773 While it certainly doesn't hurt anything, it is kind of a waste of time though unless several weeks have passed since the best by date. The eggs will last long after that date easy unless they were stored improperly. Even that depends on whether they're washed or unwashed eggs.

[@monicaluketich3106]

I used the rule that if the egg is on the bottom, it is fresh. If the 🥚 is floating in the middle like this, it is great for hard boiled eggs. If it is floating at the top of the water, parallel to the bottom, then it is bad. I raise chickens for eggs and have to test them if I have a bunch that might have gone bad or I forget which carton is which.

[@sonigram5882]

Put " iffy " eggs in a deep bowl of water. If it floats to the top, its BAD. THROW AWAY. If they sink, they are very fresh. In between means your running lower on time.

[@brendastephens5893]

Finally!! Someone not afraid to speak the truth about our food products! We have lots of canned foods past the date and are not dead yet. People have been told to open their wallets instead and buy new! Ugh!

[@tional5266]

I know! A waste all the way around

[@shotpusher]

I’ve thought for YEARS that dates were a marketing ploy to increase sales. Love your common sense Darcy!👍🏻

[@ricski64]

Been trying to teach this to others for years. Best before does not mean expired

[@sandraburke1590]

I bought salt that said it had been on the ground for thousands and thousands of years, but used by date is July!

[@copperhousefarm4794]

Can you imagine if food has a best by of ten years. How hard it would be for the food companies to move food out of the stores! This is why they do what they do!

[@ljtminihomestead5839]

Darcy, if I could give you a hundred thumbs up I would. I'm in my 60s, dates are "new" thing. Growing up, they never had dates. One exception, keep eye on high acid foods check cans, pineapple and tomatoes, can eat through cans, anything else, you're fine. And those are ok for few yrs. My daughter is a date snob. We've eaten 4 yr old canned veggies that are fine..makes me sick ppl just toss food out. Especially now!

[@Sydroo1969]

I've been doing this for years. Glad you're tell folks about this. My husband is military and we have MREs. They're good for at least 10 years. Listen up people. She is right. Food shortages are coming.

[@mehtarelingolien]

Exactly everything you said! Not only are folks wasting food, they are also wasting MONEY.

[@smenna47]

Thank you for this video. My brother was quality control manager at a can company and he has said for years if your cans aren’t bulging the contents are still good.

[@vondamorphew3505]

When I was a child in the 1960’s, my cousins and siblings ate some of my uncle’s sea rations from WWll. They tasted good, and none of us got sick. They were at least 20 years old.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

With enough preservatives, a lot of things will last a very long time :D :D

[@pauldodd2086]

Best buy is just a suggestion. I am eating 3 year old home canned food and it is still good. I have eaten 6 year old commercial canned food and it sometimes had lost a little flavor it was still great. Freezer burned meat is still usable if you use it in a soup.

[@jenniferjuranko1617]

This is a topic that needs to be talked about more often. Thank you Darcy for teaching people how to interpret the dates on their canned goods. I have some friends who have frowned on my decision to still use canned corn or peas or beans that have a date of 2015 and here it is 2022! I keep telling them “I’m still alive and we don’t get sick so quit wasting your food and your money!!!!” Grrrr….definitely one of my pet peeves.

[@ritahorton8229]

Thanks so much for sharing! I’m still kicking myself for wasting so much food years ago. I always discarded canned food, by what I assumed was an expiration date. Knowledge is power. 💪😊

[@lindymcvay5850]

Thank you for posting this, Darcy! It breaks my heart knowing that so much perfectly good food gets tossed. Everyone needs to realize that the term used is "best by" not "expiration." When I bring groceries home I use a Sharpie to write purchase date rather than write the best by date. Sometimes it's a exercise in patience to find that date! 😃 If you familiarize yourself with the time frames each group is best used by you'll be able to calculate how much time you have left. For example most fruits and veggies have about 2 years, canned meats have about 3 to 5 years, most boxed items have about 1 to 2 years. Like Darcy said, salt and honey don't go bad, neither does sugar. These foods all have preservative properties so they are their own preservative! 😁

[@traceyvaile7625]

I like to do both dates with a sharpie. Purchase date first and best by second. Just for my own peace of mind.

[@chantillyvintage]

I moved in with my sister a few months ago. We just combined our pantries & went thru everything this morning. Pineapple & any tomato based canned goods we tossed if it was 1 year out. Only because the acid makes them taste like the can. But everything else we kept, even 2 or 3 years out. Although, I did toss a few dented cans of soup that were only a few months out because they were pull top cans, which I hate! Going thru the dry goods & baking goods has made us realize we don’t have as much as we thought we had. Shopping to replenish tomorrow. 👍🏻

[@tinabloomfield7228]

I'm making my HUSBAND watch this!!!! 😂😂😂😂 He's always tossing food with an expiration date on it and refuses to eat it. That's changing right now!!! Hahaha

[@debrawallace4542]

We put the month and year on goods when we buy it. Thats the date we use for rotating the food and its always worked for us. Too many times the expiration date is missing or unreadable or we can't figure it out. One day after my parents starting buying in bulk my husband and I were at their house helping them clean out their basement for a garage sale they were having. I noticed my dad's 5 gallon buckets of wheat berries were upside down. I asked him why and he said that someone told him to make sure he was rotating his food storage. So every month he would go downstairs and turn the buckets over! My dad died in 1995 from cancer. I miss him so much!!

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Awww - that's funny !!! ((HUGS))

[@TheCourtneys]

We just ate home canned tomatoes that were 9 years old. Pretty sure I'm not dead!

[@sashleymo4]

THIS! My husband is completely brainwashed about that date! To the point that at midnight of the date on a milk carton….it’s done. It drives me nuts! He’s got my kids looking at every date. So frustrating.

[@karynh2025]

Oh Gosh, my husband is the same way. I don't let him see too many cans and packages and now I dehydrate them and put the date I dehydrate them on the lid. He has no clue now.🤣

[@sashleymo4]

@@karynh2025 taking that tip!

[@roosgramma9125]

He wouldn’t make it at my house then. I buy milk when on sale and freeze. My 11 year old grandson was like that with his mom. He came to my house and when it came time for milk I set it down and said don’t start it’s fine I have had it frozen. Not a peep.

[@GwladYrHaf]

In the UK we have two designations, “Use By” and “Best Before” The vast majority of foods only have “Best Before” We see “Use By” on fresh meats , fish etc. I ignore all and use the vision and nose test, I also reject all misshapen or bloated cans.

[@pennylaur7687]

My daughter just came to visit. I had a jar of dijon mustard in my fridge that was past that date, she wouldnt use any. I tried to explain to her that it was fine, had just been opened from the pantry. She still wasnt convinced it was ok. I told her to take the new one from the pantry that I had just bought to replace it and use it instead. The day I bought the new one is how I keep track of the date the opened one was opened. Try putting the date of purchase on the new jars n cans when you open the current one n use it up accordingly. Or write on the opened one , when it was opened.

[@IMOO1896]

I’ve had the same happen with my daughter, I just tell her to put it back, not toss it.

[@tracymorrison1584]

in Canada they are stopping those "expiration dates". With our food banks here in Canada facing major shortages and many people going hungry maybe now they will stop this ludicris policy of throwing out items donated to them because of these dates.

[@jaytee2642]

Thank you for putting this out there!👍🏻 A few years ago, I remember watching a Tuber shopping at a dollar store. She was looking at canned goods and found some that were a little past the "best by" date. She was in a tizzy, claiming that the store was trying to make people sick!🙄🙄 And another Tuber was cleaning out her pantry and one of the things she tossed was HONEY! I kindly let her know that honey doesn't go bad, please don't waste it.😕 I appreciate the dates being on the packages, but only so I can use it as a reference point when rotating stock.👍🏻

[@sherylcadick7482]

TODAY I am cleaning out and organizing my 87 year old father’s pantry. I’m glad for this reminder! I am new to canning and dehydrating and trying to make room in the pantry for these things. It’s a big job! Thanks for your channel an information!

[@Rel1369]

I have never been a real stickler for use by or best before dates. I often use sour cream weeks past use by date and never had a problem, same with cream cheese and its always been fine (I am careful of how I store dairy). My daughter and I shop together and make the most of the 'reduced' items that are on the last day of sale, mostly meat or fruit/veg items. Meat can go straight in the freezer and I mark it with 'USD' (use same day) so I know it has to be used the day of thawing. For a time we relied on a food pantry where many items were just on or past use by and we were grateful to have access to cheap or free food.

[@savannahjackson4929]

Great video. I never pay attention to 'best before dates'. As long as the food smells & tastes fine, it gets eaten - we very, very rarely thrown any food away. In the UK we have a large company that sells out of date food - it's called Roger's Wholesale Food Warehouse. You do have to buy items in bulk, but you get huge savings on the retail price on branded items.

[@dustyflats3832]

I use to write the date on cans also. Beats trying to find it as some are hidden or really tiny.

[@dianewalter8382]

I've just moved all my food storage into one big walking pantry. I put all the date on the labels so it's easier to work through. Only found 4 bulged cans and 5 dented that need to be used. Boy it was a big job, but I'm happy it's done.

[@crochetingaroundnewzealand]

Expiration dates were introduced so that people thought the food was old. Companies make more money if you throw food out to buy more.

[@grlnexdoorable]

Dehydrated vegetables from a can or an excellent addition to food in jars meals. I have about 20 cans of dehydrated vegetables that I drained and rinsed after watching Darcy's videos. I ground them up and they all fit in a 1 quart jar so I can add vegetable powder to my homemade dog food.

[@poppylove3673]

I will be sharing your video with family members who threw a lot of things away when they helped "organize" our pantry. 🤦🏼‍♀️ After they finished, it looked nice, but they cleared perfectly good things away, that were only 1 to 6 months past the due date, not even a year! Many were canned goods. I tried explaining what you are saying, and they still didn't understand or believe me! Thanks! 👍🏽💗

[@veganleigh4817]

I've found that, as long as the cans are in good shape, what's inside will generally be just fine. Dented cans though, are not so dependable. Dry pasta, grains and rice last a long time, as long as you store them in a cool place. And I always put them in zip-loc bags or plastic containers. But I follow your rule: if they look funny or smell funny, I toss them.

[@DesertRose-gg1zw]

Definitely agree, Darcy! I lived overseas (Middle East) for 30 years and there was often a "here today, gone tomorrow" thing going on in the marketplace, especially with certain canned items that us expats liked; such as cranberry sauce or canned pumpkin, et al. Some things we could find only a certain time of year, or not at all for years, so I would stock up when I'd find them available, or on sale (imported items could be pricey). These canned items lasted me several years way past their "best by" date stamped on them and were perfectly fine! I never really believed the hype about the "expiration" date.

[@nazgul12000]

Great information. Thanks

[@sallygordin2869]

I just ate 6 yrs past date of chli and it was great.

[@leahhoward1212]

USDA says canned foods are safe indefinitely, obviously quality may deteriorate over time but it is still safe nevertheless: "If cans are in good condition (no dents, swelling, or rust) and have been stored in a cool, clean, dry place they are safe indefinitely."

[@abigailhumes4608]

Excellent subject! Thank you. You are right on with what I have heard from several true "food experts." I hope you save thousands of $$$$ worth of food. My method is similar to yours - difference: I label everything that comes into our kitchen with a narrow strip of masking tape on whatever part of the container will most visible in shelf with the best by date. I still arrange my pantry by years according to best by dates. My kitchen "busy" pantry has everything I use including some things with very future dates, but I know I need to use them according to my family's requests and our cravings. Other things, we haven't used, by the date; but I do NOT worry. However, I do strive to plan meals according to the oldest foods, and rotate newly purchased foods to the appropriate year. If we liked it enough a year or two ago to buy it, then I will determine to make that dish and use it up before it gets too old. Thank you for your consistent advice, methods, tutorials, and what may seem to veteran preppers as simple, I still watch that video, and very often I LEARN SOMETHING VALUABLE.

[@castledykesfarm3396]

I don't remember us having these dates on food when I was growing up back in the dark ages in the UK and I've never paid much attention to them and go by smell and looks. I wish I could convince my friends and neighbors to do the same. I have one friend who throws out anything one minute past midnight on the day it "expires". I was in rehab last year for two months and my neighbors kindly took care of the house and my critters but one also cleaned out my fridge and threw out everything. When I talked to the other friend about this she said I was being unappreciative of all the other friend had done for me. I told her I WAS appreciative but I didn't appreciate food being thrown out just because it had a date on it. I read somewhere recently, can't remember where, that a lot of countries were no longer putting dates on the food just for the reason you mention, too much being thrown out.

[@teresamessick2297]

When we ran a store the NC inspector said we could not sell out of date food. And the food banks will not take it in out of date. I also put the year date on the front of my goods. When 2023 comes I do my first of the inventory make sure 22's are up front.

[@freedomhomesteadky]

THANK YOU!!! I shop my salvage stores and most things are nearing or past the Best Buy date. People freak out over this. Great video

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Exactly!! I really wish we had a salvage store near us! It's always great to see what good deals you get at yours!

[@jenniferstewart1499]

I was at a grocery store the other day.There was a mom there with her child complaining about the high prices.I tried to explain to her how this store marks stuff way down when it gets close to expiration...but not out of date.She was so convinced that the best by or sell by date meant that the food was bad.I felt sad for her.

[@diannaleefolkers-sarber2393]

I agree with what you say. There are something like hamburger helper are not always good more than 2 years as the food taste stale , also cake and brownie mixes.

[@jharvey93]

Another food waster...I accidentally purchased sour cream instead of cottage cheese (I picked it up without reading the label) at Kroger the other day. I took it back to exchange it for cottage cheese. I had not opened it or even taken it out of the bag. The lady at the store said she would have to throw it away! Those are the new guidelines since covid. What a waste of perfectly good food. Needless to say, I couldn't bring myself to exchange it and brought it home. I'll share it with some other people rather than throw it out. Stupid example of governmental waste.

[@skybluepinkd]

This was always the policy at Walmart especially with anything they needs to be cold. We have no idea if it's been tampered with or how it was stored. If you give a refrigerated or frozen item back to an employee in store we have to toss it bc we don't know how long it's been out

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

I totally understand why they wouldn't take that back - even before 2020. It's refrigerated product that can't be assured you kept it where it needed to be, and the only thing they could do was throw it away. Even if you didn't open it, they can't be sure you didn't have it in your car the whole time, and they can't sell it, so they can only toss it.

[@lookingtotheeastreatha7379]

Thank you, Darcy!! So much misinformation going around about this! Appreciate you!

[@KellyS_77]

My suggestion would be that if you find you've got a lot of canned food products that are a year or more past their best by date, then that's a sign that you probably need to either stop buying more of that food to store OR at least buying a lot less of that item. Eat what you store, store what you eat.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Sure - but maybe you got a great deal, or maybe you misjudged how much you might actually eat. Or maybe your storage is different than someone else's storage. It's all relative to the user.

[@loucilehall9281]

I vaccum seal my flour and meal in jars and I’ve had it to be good for 4 years.

[@marygallagher3428]

Great advice Darcy!

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Thank you!

[@christinacutlass1694]

Such an IMPORTANT video!

[@bluedazz]

So glad you put this video up. I hope many will see this and learn from it. I watch many assorted pantry and food storage videos. I like to see the different methods and designs. I have watch honey thrown out and many cans of food just past the sell date and it hurts. I have begun writing the "Best By " dates on the labels because it is easier for me to see and manage my food storage.

[@lisapop5219]

People think I'm nuts when I say that I don't go by the suggestions for frozen meat, fruits & vegetables. I vacuum seal them to keep air out & keep them in the deep freezer. As long as I haven't lost power for an extended period of time, I'm going to use it. I've even cut off freezer burn before I started using vacuum seal bags. I just use it in something like soups, stews and casseroles instead of by itself. Haven't had any problems and very little goes to waste. If I need room, I will have a canning session

[@lindakunkel2470]

Darcy thank you so much for this video! My kids give me such a bad time about the dates on my canned items. The information on FDA is great! - 5 years! Thank you again!

[@hollish196]

It only takes about a 1-2% decline in quality for the Best Buy date to be determined. Perfectly edible!! Thank you so much for sharing this--I posted on Facebook to share this very important info. I freeze flour to keep it longer---being single, I have use some more slowly. I admit, I did get rid of a can of evaporated milk that got to the back of the cupboard for 10 years--YIKES!!

[@cindygere]

Thank you Darcy! I just threw some can food away because it had expired.😏I know better now.

[@bettiedonner]

Thank you for sharing this information. I have been singing this for quite a while now. Yes, the food bank in my city will take canned food for up to 5 yrs...things that are dairy based on the date listed. Important stuff.

[@littlemogocreek]

Bravo bravo. Well said Darcy.

[@cocacolafiesta]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Wendy DeWitt that has a few youtube videos regarding food storage contacted Campbell’s and Hormel companies and both responded that the canned goods will last "indefinitely" if stored properly (temperature, light etc..). Obviously, checking for seals, rust, bulging and smell is something to be done for any canned foods whether commercial or home canned needs to be done.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Yep - but again - your mileage may vary from other factors as well (heat, etc.). Sometimes things don't keep the texture well - tomatoes are prime examples. But definitely do not rely on the best by date. They last much longer.

[@justpassinthru]

Have condensed milk several years past the date.... Darker and thick like you cooked it for caramel... Absolutely great. You'll know if something isn't good or the can is bad. Nowdays, though, you do need to look as you shop because things are already out at times.. prob from sitting on the cargo ships for a year. Not bad just be aware. Check prices, too. Many times things ring up higher than shelf price right now.

[@oldlady1314]

Not just food. I just bought some OTC medicine, the box that cost twice as much, had 4 times as many pills, had a MUCH closer expiration date.

[@languagelynnie]

THANK YOU! Everyone needs to know this!

[@adrabruzzese7610]

Thank you Darcy, I have always hated food waste. It is sickening how much food is wasted.

[@S.Kay.Steffy]

I do exactly as you do…everything I buy gets the date pure on it. I’m a retired registered nurse so have been doing this for years and years as this is the practice for healthcare supplies. I just bought your book and can’t wait to get it. Thank you for your videos 💕

[@melodyvest1936]

I love this! The nose knows! I know some who will throw away things over he expiration date. Such a waste

[@homesteadingwithapurpose9681]

Thank you for the reminder. Your tips are always great advice.

[@firequeen2194]

On the dairy side. My mom is fanatical about the date on milk. Even if it smells perfectly fine and taste great. It works out ok for me, I turn it into yogurt in the IP. Delicious! I also watched making farmers cheese and if it’s slightly “off”, it will make more of a stinky cheese, lol. It’s fine but flavorful, like the pricey ones you buy. It’s the whey making that smell. I’m not a fan of those cheeses so I stick to the milk that still smell and tastes good, even for farmers cheese. Happy preserving!

[@justtagurl]

Thank you SO much for using your platform to share this message! 👍

[@RiceaRoni354]

Thank you darci. People need to know this as marketing to consumers is for increasing sales and certainly isn’t about common sense like use by dates.

[@sherrymn7249]

I just get my copy of your book and wanted to let you know how much I love it. It is exactly what I was looking. Thank you for the time and energy you put into producing it. I appreciate it very much. Many thanks.

[@megbubolz8143]

Good information for the public. Last year when a relative of ours went into assisted living. We inherited a lot of food that most relations thought was “not good”. Their loss and our gain.

[@mom2jbn869]

Thank you, Darcy! This was so helpful and encouraging. I have been eating food past the date for a while now, but I know I can go even longer after watching this video. Very much appreciated!

[@limitedaxcess]

Thank you Darcy been telling my kids who are adults now this for years

[@marilynwalsh7957]

Expiration and best buy dates are to cover the manufacturer. It's a liability thing. Your dry boxed foods will last almost indefinitely if vacuum sealed. Cans forever if can integrity is not disrupted.

[@kimberlyhaney7582]

Thank you for doing this. It's a great reminder.

[@donnaweeks1311]

Thanks Darcy. Great info.

[@maryannbergeron9531]

This is a awesome video!!! Thank you so Much for debunking the myth of needing to throw the product out at the expiration date. This is the first time I have heard about the 5 year timeline on most foods. Acidic fruits snd vegetables certainly I would use quicker. I love your inventory management system. It has been a valuable tool I have been using for the past year. 🙌❤️

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

And five years is really just a number thrown out there - you may have much longer - just depends on the food, how it was stored and how it reacts.

[@darlenebarber7049]

Great timing. I am organizing my pantry and you just saved a bunch of “almost” food waste. Great Video!

[@shangrilahomestead9930]

Thank you for your information. I have always been hesitant to throw out foods even though the it’s expired.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Remember - it's not expired... ;)

[@Laura-xy7td]

Thank you for doing the heavy lifting , keep up the great work .

[@brendacosby2186]

I had a bulging can of fruit cocktail, I wanted to see the date on the bottom but it was just starting to seep out. I really expected it to explode before I got it to the trash can!

[@ginamessner8346]

Exactly 💯 correct Thank you for this information!!

[@gwizu3]

I hate waste!!! Thank you for addressing one of my pet issues. Only baby formulas have a government mandated expiration date.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

yeah - I already made that note in the description area.

[@bikechickluvs2groove]

Thank you. Extremely informative!

[@carolynwalton6387]

YESSSSS! This needs to be shouted from the rooftops! And eggs are another one, I sell farm fresh eggs and people are always amazed when I tell them how long there washed and unwashed eggs will last! Absolutely love your channel I'm learning so much about dehydrating!!!

[@heysuz701]

I recently took advantage of a sale on Campbells tomato soup…the date was 8/22. Yes, I bought some. We don’t use it regularly, but as an occasional meal additive (hamburger pie) or soup. So many throw out so much because of that little date.

[@shescraftea9107]

I just ate some kalamata olives marked 2017, totally fine.

[@peach3611]

Very informative, you explained this subject very well. Thank you for sharing.

[@CARLA-JO-THOMAS]

Yes you can get many foods at discount prices if they are close to expiration date.

[@victoriastevens6507]

Celery and tomato paste r the biggest wastes in my kitchen. U need 1 or 2 ribs of celery and a tsp/trap or 2 of tomato paste...but not any more! I'm gonna dehydrate those babies to within an inch of preservation!!!@

[@KDVoller]

This was great info, thanks Darcy

[@roszcutler9724]

Thank you for sharing, it sure cleared up many things for me.

[@tional5266]

I tell my daughter that all the time cuz she’s paranoid about it, I’m like that’s what canning it is for, preservation if it’s unopened it’s good

[@firequeen2194]

I’m the same with my mom 🤦‍♀️. I’m now taking her stuff and preserving it 😂.

[@theonewhomjesusloves7360]

This is so good to know especially for keeping preps

[@WiscoMel]

This is really helpful. I just cleaned out my moms kitchen cabinets- so many cans and boxes of food over 5 years past the best by date. She loves to shop but not cook, so it’s an annoying problem on many levels ☹️

[@COWELLGIRL]

Great subject and info for folks

[@Damselfly54315]

Thank u, been telling ppl this SO long!!!

[@ourblessedhomestead]

I've seen many people throw away food unnecessarily because of the date. My husband had home canned green beans that were 6 years old and perfectly fine to eat but no one else would eat them because of the date on them. So many people are starving and would be so thankful for our unwanted food.

[@madelinehall8944]

Hominy is a staple in Latin cooking. Search for recipes on KZbin. There are a lot of Mexican soup recipes.

[@jayjay-bz3rr]

Thank you for this information 🍜

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

You are welcome!

[@JaneNorthrop]

Love your book and journal.... I watch a lot of pantry organization video and I cringe when they say through out expired food. I didn't know that food pantries/banks would take expired food. I tend to waste fresh produce... with the intent I will eat it.

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Dehydrate that fresh produce :) Not all foodbanks will take it - that's why I encourage you to call around to those near you to see if they will.

[@janicelee6204]

Thank you, very helpful!

[@ThePurposefulPantry]

Glad to hear that!