THE SHOCKING TRUTH: Cooking Safely with EXPIRED Food Made Easy | The Expired Food Challenge

[@timeforme9080]

My father died of food poisoning at the age of 57. It wasn't from expired food though. He ate at a fancy restaurant that had made a shrimp salad early that morning and left it sitting out all day until he ate it at 8pm. For years I had what I call food phobia. I was scared to eat anything that was even slightly questionable. I have now gotten over my fears and just last week I pulled out chicken thighs from my freezer that had been in there a year. I ate it and I was perfectly fine. I think that food handling and preparation is a million times more important than expiration dates. Love your content!

[@friend757]

So sorry to read what happened to your father. Blessings to you.

[@MyFocusVaries]

That's so tragic. Poultry and seafood handling have to be taken seriously. My nephew had food poisoning from shrimp at a restaurant. Every time I prepare shrimp I have to assure him I thawed it in the fridge.

[@StephanieGrealis]

I am sorry for what happened to your father, however, there is no way to pinpoint what exactly he ate that caused it. Food poisoning can be from anything you ate in the past 6 weeks from infection date.

[@timeforme9080]

@@StephanieGrealis We know exactly what caused it. Multiple people got ill from the eating the same dish at the restaurant. After an investigation they found out that the food had been left out of the refrigerator all day. My father died within 24 hours of eating it. He was so violently ill that his heart gave out and they couldn't get him back. The restaurant settled out of court because so many people got sick from eating the same thing. Edited to add that an autopsy was done that showed the exact bacteria that killed him which is common in shrimp.

[@StephanieGrealis]

@@timeforme9080 in this instance, I apologize for my comment.

[@angelabutler7761]

My mom was raised on a poor Texas farm and learned how to cook with what she had, and she is an excellent cook. She taught me as a child that we as Americans waste so much food by throwing it out when it is still perfectly fine to eat. If it has not changed quite drastically in color, smell, or texture it is typically safe to eat - use your senses and your common sense. Thank you for the video!

[@karen1866]

I feed all table scraps, moldy food or spoiled food to my chickens. If they don’t eat it, they’ll still scratch it around to eat the bugs that come to feast on the “compost pile.”

[@marroosh]

I buy near expired food all the time and I eat it regardless whether it has expired or not by that time. If smells good, looks good and tastes good, it’s fine!

[@dru2506]

Absolutely.

[@andreyheather]

Yep, use those senses!

[@BrianK-zz4fk]

the smell test works great!

[@kaelchipz7252]

exactly! i’ve never understood how someone can eat something actually expired. it’ll smell weird, look weird, and taste weird.

[@dru2506]

Still can't type. Lol

[@snowysnowyriver]

I can remember (right back to early childhood) my mother cutting the mouldy bits off cheese and using the good bits inside. She would taste it to make sure and carry on. She was 81 years old when she passed away and I'm 72 years old now. I still cut bits off cheese and carry on using it. My mother would also cut the crusts off bread if they had "spots" on them. Loads of other things too. She lived through WW2 here in the UK when wasting food was a criminal offence. You could be fined for it! I ignore the dates on food and use the good sense she taught me regarding what is good or not good to eat. Thank you Mum!!

[@alisonfraser8231]

Cutting mould off bread is a dangerous game.

[@deborasmith5191]

My grandmother did the same thing as yours. She would just cut off the moldy cheese and said it was fine. She made her own blue cheese.

[@Nee96Nee]

Cheese is fine. I wouldn't use the bread especially if it's pre sliced. Penicillin is from a certain type of bread mould so there's that.

[@mizg1595]

During WWII women used every scrap to feed their family, not so much out of fear of the law, but because that’s all there was to eat. If you threw away a block of cheese, you could not replace it. You did without until your next ration allotment, if it was even available for purchase. The supply chain disruptions during Covid were nothing compared to the shortages during WWII, especially in Britain.

[@michele-33]

Americans freak out over a bit of mold on cheese It's a regular thing in Europe & UK. Raw milk is used instead of pasteurized and moldy cheese is a thing.. It depends on the type of cheese AND mold.. I'd share a link but not without frugal moms permission God bless you all 🕊️🕯️🤍

[@emmahope2601]

Never had a problem with expired food. Freezing saves everything 😂

[@joycespecht3038]

That's what I do, throw it in the freezer. Things like cheeses are fermented milk anyway, so sour cream yogurt last longer than the dates. Vitamins just weaken as they get older.

[@ElizabethChristopher-i3o]

I so love you! You are so uplifting and so funny! I am praying for your finger for healing! God Bless you!

[@tracyrolfe6172]

I cook it and throw it in the freezer too

[@aloras405]

@@joycespecht3038 medicines can degrade into harmful things too.

[@coreyh8589]

This is my way of thinking!!!

[@zo_471]

I wish more influencers would push this message

[@Crazychickenlady-yd3kn]

It’s NOT EXPIRED!! It’s a best by date!! I love watching you cook. I get so many new ideas PLUS I think you’re hilarious!

[@lizh1988]

Yes, unless it's meat, eggs, milk, I don't worry. Not much goes to waste with me anyway. The only thing that happens to flour, oil, pasta, is that it starts either losing its taste, or goes rancid. Rancid is just a weird, vague turpentinish taste. And nutrients tend to fade also.

[@kathim5720]

Thank you. Drives me crazy when I see people who are tossing perfectly good food and don’t seem to understand the difference between best before and expired. Two days beyond the date and out it goes.

[@rds1717]

I just said the same thing. Lol. So tired of people wasting perfectly good food because of a Best By date. ❤

[@sharonking7978]

Thanks for saying this! My grown kids are so weird about this. They must not know they ate all kinds of expired foods growing up. We had 5 kids and one income. Do what you gotta do.

[@lindarichey4689]

Bwahahahaha! 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@melnq8]

​@@lindarichey4689I'm quite confused by this reaction coming from a poor background

[@Sheena7625]

@@melnq8 She was laughing at the fact the children never knew they were eating expired foods 🤦🏻‍♀️

[@libbyrudolph6302]

My brother purchased a 50 lb bag of pinto beans prior to Y2K. I opened the bag and promptly put them in MANY airtight containers. These beans are more than 25 years old and are still delicious!

[@larrybair2029]

I preserve dry beans, flours , crackers & snacks of all kinds, pasta’s , candy for my grandchildren for all holidays bought on sale & cookies . I vacuum seal in mason jars with my foodsaver. It all goes in my pantry along with my pressure canned meats,fruits & vegetables . If the grid ever goes down 😅, or we lose power due to a loss of power caused by many different reasons I have ready prepared food & snacks ready to eat. Always be prepared ..Linda

[@kencurtis2403]

I still have a sealed can of Y2K macaroni noodles - I wouldn’t hesitate to use them if the look OK when I open them. We ate a can of Y2K dried apples a few years ago. They were delicious lol.

[@eranimila2831]

@@larrybair2029 I just found in my basement pantry whole grain flour best before Nov 2020 😢 it wasn’t sealed like yours so i guess i have to sat goodbye to it. Not sure if it’ll be good for anything other than compost 😔

[@rowenafletcher-wood4436]

I'm so pleased you made this video. Its so important to highlight that throwing food out is wasteful and unnecessary. People have lost confidence in their own ability to judge sensibly and are following printed numbers like drones.

[@An__-]

That child of yours looks like a mini version of his dad to an insane degree.

[@stellajean3020]

I noticed that too, he really does!

[@coreyh8589]

He even seems to have the same “screen presence” and personality! So cute

[@rudiannwildgoose-laing4629]

Her daughter too

[@Nins-niche67]

And the one looks like her mom

[@ellenjb9997]

Absolutely..it's uncanny!!

[@carrieolson3366]

Thanks for posting this! Sadly I’ve seen some “clean out the pantry” videos at the beginning of the year where they throw all the “expired” foods. The comment section made me sick as tons of people say they do it every year. In my state we have a chain of discount food stores that started in 1989, they sell all kinds of foods, canned & fresh etc even organic but the majority is close to or past the “date”. I shop there more than anywhere because the savings is beyond belief! Organic pints of blueberries for $1 can’t be beat! Or 6 heads of organic romaine for $1.99! Some you need to eat fast or freeze but we plan our meals around that. My kids make fun of it but I just say that people need to wake up!

[@shinkie1200]

We have a discount store near me and they've raised their prices so much that they're almost the same as Walmart.

[@carrieolson3366]

@@shinkie1200 That’s too bad! Ours are still the store to shop at & pretty much the only ones I go to, we eat around what they have. I just got 6 heads of organic romaine for $1! It’s crazy how they can give the stuff away but I’ll take it!

[@betterlivingonabudget]

LOVE this!!! My Gen Z twins think they'll DIE if they eat expired food - regardless of the looks-good/smells-good/tastes-good test and the fact that they haven't died yet after eating a LOT of expired food in our kitchen over the years, lol.

[@dianasimplifies]

This is what I always say. We aren't dead yet! 😂

[@BigMama2022]

We live in Mid Missouri and one of the states that does NOT oversee/over regulate "Best Buy" dates. That is the main reason there are several "discount grocery" stores across the state. Mostly run by the Mennonite communities, they are lifesavers to so many people. The secret is that much of their food both canned & frozen are sold waaay past the date on the package. I've been buying there for years and have never had a problem.

[@jenniferjenkins3412]

I’ve cooked with “expired” food for years. All 6 of my kids survived to adulthood! I agree with everything said by Christine.

[@danesaredarlings4679]

So for cheeses; I worked in a deli for a national chain. One of my jobs was to cut the mold off of cheese, reweigh and rewrap it and it went back out for sale. This was common practice. I still will do that at home if I'm making a casserole- that goes in. Hasn't killed anyone yet (and it is fine!)

[@melissamoeller9608]

As a person who often relies on the food bank, I really appreciate this video. I’m praying for complete healing of your finger!

[@melissamoeller9608]

Christine- did you say that you wanted to talk to me? Or is it a scammer?

[@dianasimplifies]

@@melissamoeller9608 scammer

[@ninnymuggins5159]

probably scammer @@melissamoeller9608

[@happymama1015]

That’s terrible if that’s so. Good job confirming on here. God bless you wish you the best 2024!!

[@Fiery154]

@@melissamoeller9608that would be a scammer. I mentioned I figured out her name on Fetch rewards in a comment, and she changed her name on the app.

[@Ed-cs6kw]

21:16 Rule #1 of baking: Always double the amount of vanilla the recipe calls for.

[@BrandyPeacock-ps3xx]

About four years ago I watched one of your videos for the first time. I remember you saying something close to, "I'm going to throw in these sad looking carrots," and "this freezer burnt chicken will be just fine." I felt seen, but loved at the same time. It was like you gave me permission to not feel shame for not being perfect in the kitchen. Thank you!

[@stephaniewithrow4685]

Me too!

[@user-fv1mt6sc5t]

Exactly 🥰

[@sheriturner6118]

I keep pasta, rice, flour and the like in the freezer as to not get bugs or kill any that may have been there from the store or even the manufacturer.

[@rolliecrafts255]

Carrot hack I recently learned: if your carrots are soft and limp submerge them in a bowl of water cause they are dehydrated…. who knew?

[@hummingbird275]

Hello Christine, I just now ran onto your very interesting, helpful channel,& am so GLAD I did. You are awesome❗️One of my very pet peeve in watching cooking videos is “ people cracking eggs & dropping them right in the batter😬. I was so pleased to see you crack them in a separate bowl for the obvious reason, an egg CAN BE BAD , if cracked directly into other ingredients, it would ruin all the ingredients. You deserve an A+ for that step alone, not to mention ALL the wisdom you share,as well.🌹 Another pet peeve is watching someone putting batter in the pan and NOT scrape ALL the “goodness “ out with a rubber scraper. It drives me nuts to see people do that, not that it bothers others on this channel. You have a new subscriber, ME, an old Timer.❤🌹

[@kikihammond5326]

If anyone is wondering, for dried beans if they are way past "expired" date, there are 4 ways to tell if the are OK to eat. If they have a powdery mold on them, toss them. Look at them, if they are well eaten by bugs (lots of holes in them), then toss. Smell them, if they just smell fine, they are good, if they smell like mold or mildew toss. Lastly, if you are really nervous, remove a few beans and wash them and soak, changing water every 12-24 hours and allow to sit in water for 3-4 days in a cup in a warm spot. If they begin to sprout your beans are healthy. Do always wash your dried beans before cooking to remove any dirt or debris that may be on them, and soak them overnight if you don't use the pressure cooker way. It will make your life so much easier and your beans will cook much faster and taste better. Discard the soaking water and replenish with fresh the next day and cook. Never add salt before you cook your beans as it retards the cooking process and the beans will not cook properly. Add it once the beans are soft.

[@friend757]

Thank you for informing me what I have been doing wrong by adding salt while the beans were cooking! I will definitely cook dried beans again this week as you have advised.

[@TLStitches]

Thank you for those tips! I knew bugs could be an issue, but not the rest of the stuff you mentioned. I have bags of beans I immediately stored in food safe containers with lids in a cool dry area, but I questioned what to look for before using. I knew about soaking them overnight, but not about the salt. Thank you!

[@MyFocusVaries]

And kidney beans must be soaked even if you're going to cook them in the pressure cooker. Otherwise they can develop a toxin. Soaking removes it.

[@juliabrown5948]

Thank you!

[@leahrowe847]

Why do beans stay hard?

[@kristenyoung7853]

I recently went through my pantry and sorted out the dates.... we've been powering through all the "expired" stuff too! Great to see someone present to the world that it's ok!!!

[@marykoufalis7666]

Please know that all canned goods have an extra 2 years added on to the already printed date. So please don't toss anything out even after the best by date. Do you have two full years or so after.

[@kristenyoung7853]

@@marykoufalis7666 mostly... except for tomato products- i've had them eat through the can less than a year past the date...I don't trust tomatoes much past- probably about 6-8 months is all for those.

[@marykoufalis7666]

@@kristenyoung7853 indeed one must always use logic and Common Sense and be very prudent. But it's so sad to see in North America how billions of dollars get wasted every year simply because people are throwing stuff out thinking it has gone bad when it is perfectly safe to eat. And I won't even mention the obscene amount of food that grocery stores throw out every single day.

[@Gardeningchristine]

I’ve got shelves full of “expired” food. I intend on eating all of it that isn’t yucky. It’s silly to think it turns gross on the best buy date.

[@jamesbriggs5740]

We buy the family packages of meat and repackage them individually into Ziploc bags. We are a family of two. Kathy B

[@Savannahm0m]

Now we know why you spent so little in January. Cleaning out expired and raiding mom's pantry 😂 great video.

[@susansweat9125]

So glad you're setting the record straight on this "expired" phobia

[@Sterling8953]

When I rinse my pasta sauce jar I toss a bit of bullion powder in and shake it up. I typically use beef in my pasta so I use beef bullion. Gives a bit more flavor.

[@MyFocusVaries]

In the vein of a ragout

[@CharleneMcKinney]

Thanks, I gotta try this😊.

[@MyFocusVaries]

In our brown sugar, we have a piece of terra cotta that was presoaked in water. It keeps the sugar soft. We got it at a kitchen store.

[@larrybair2029]

If you don’t have a piece of terra cotta to soften your brown sugar , slip in a piece of bread .Linda

[@WVfreebird]

​@larrybair2029 That's exactly what I came to post😊 It definitely works

[@bettymotley2224]

I have one of those terra cotta thinks too. I love it

[@bethanyquesnell9316]

I have a brown sugar bear...it's basically the same thing but shaped like a bear. Lol

[@ashleyviveros6200]

I've been waiting for this moment. My time to shine. Teaching Christine something new!! Keep a piece of bread in your brown sugar to keep it soft. It won't clump up and you'll have soft brown sugar. Works everytime!

[@amyclark9581]

Lol pretty sure most everyone knows that

[@leahrowe847]

We use Marshmallows... they don't mold!!

[@hummingbird275]

@@amyclark9581 I didn’t know THAT😳.

[@hummingbird275]

@@leahrowe847 That’s an “ even better” idea than putting a piece of bread in the brown sugar. I am going to do that right now❗️😊

[@leahrowe847]

@hummingbird275 we use the large ones, & once they get dried out, there's either a kid willing to eat them, a cup of hot chocolate that needs some, or a batch of rice crispies to toss them into, so they never go to waste when we replace! Glad the tip helped...

[@msx-m8r]

praying for your quick and complete recovery Christine!

[@olderandwiser78]

I have no problem eating "expired" food or taking "expired" vitamins. The vitamins are just not as potent as they age. They may not be helping, but the don't hurt you. After my husband died my grown kids came in to "help" me and they started to throw away everything in my fridge and pantry that was past the expiration date. I still can't get it through to them that the expiration date is there just as a ploy to make you think the food is bad so you throw it away and buy more. The smell test works. I can tell if something made with oil is rancid and I throw that away. For baked goods I sometimes add extra baking powder. Moldy cheese, no problem. I just cut the moldy part off and taste what looks good. I've been doing this for 60 years and I am still here to tell about it.

[@dianasimplifies]

I would be dragging stuff out of the trash if anyone did that to me! Crazy!!

[@leahrowe847]

Cheese just gets stronger with age...

[@snowysnowyriver]

I can remember (right back to early childhood) my mother cutting the mouldy bits off cheese and using the good bits inside. She would taste it to make sure and carry on. She was 81 years old when she passed away and I'm 72 years old now. I still cut bits off cheese and carry on using it. My mother would also cut the crusts off bread if they had "spots" on them. Loads of other things too. She lived through WW2 here in the UK when wasting food was a criminal offence. You could be fined for it! I ignore the dates on food and use the good sense she taught me regarding what is good or not good to eat. Thank you Mum!!

[@olderandwiser78]

@@snowysnowyriver I remember my grandmother telling me that her mother would purposely eat moldy bread because she thought it was penicillin. (Early 1900s) That is how it was discovered but not all mold on bread is the penicillin mold. Eating it didn't kill her. Personally I will cut mold off the crust but if it is on the surface it gets thrown away. I will soon be 79 and have no health issues or allergies. Maybe not being overly concerned about germs has given me a strong immune system.

[@patriciatinkey2677]

Yes to adding a bit of extra baking powder to older baking mix! 😊

[@dl4126]

I add Bay Leaves to my flour & any cereals that I may want to keep a while. From what I understand the leaves are to discourage bugs. Happy cooking all!

[@lsivtsov]

Same here!

[@TimeLapsePlants]

Thank you very much for making this video. So many americans are disgusted by "expired" food and it's such a shame becuase it causes a massive amount of foodwaste in the country -- especially when there is such a focus on buying in bulk -- it's easy for food to become expired. Thank you for showing how to responsibly use food beyond the date. This is great rolemodelling and will hopefully encourage more people to make better decisions here.

[@muzikl96]

Who wanted to hear the Aunt from the Geico commerical yell "EXPIRED" 😀 Prbly copyrights. Feeling so justified. Thanks for the video.

[@SSARTN]

So great & highly entertaining. Our noses & taste buds are so critical here. I have had several items lately that were non-expired, unopened containers where the food was bad. Bacon bits that we all agreed were funky. Chicken that smelled & looked weird but was not expired. Applesauce somehow moldy in an unopened container. I’ve shown my kids each time & how to tell not just by the date, but by your nose, eyes & if it tastes off, throw it away. But I also show them to cut off bad parts of vegetables, cheese, etc & use the good parts if it looks & tastes ok.

[@terrim2498]

I am 67, grew up in a family of 7. The rule in our house was if it looked and smelled good, it was good and I still go by that. However, there is a big difference in a “Best by” date & an “Expiration” date. If it’s EXPIRED I toss it. Be careful with those vitamins. Hope your finger heels soon.

[@cmnr8487]

Expiry dates on food are not always about the food actually expiring. Sometimes the packaging material is what has a shelf life. Plastic or certain types of liners, metal cans etc, after a period of time may start to degrade, so even though the food is safe of itself, it may not be as the product can start to break down and add chemicals, particles etc that you can't see, smell, or taste.

[@MyFocusVaries]

The underlying issue here is to better manage our inventory. This is why I don't stock up during sales. Because that item will go on sale again, and most of us forget what we have at the back of the pantry/the bottom of the freezer. And lots of people are still going to throw away those "expired" items. And some things to go bad, as she noted. Like oils, nuts, etc.

[@Pausereflectandbreathe]

I used to throw away expired foods until after pandemic when I overstock my pantry and it got chaotic then I saw videos of people telling viewers not to throw away expired food and they show you that they are using and eating expired food because it’s not bad yet. It gives me the courage to do the same. I once cooked a flavored rice at one of my parties using an expired chicken broth. My friends loved it and I’m not saying anything.😂 Sometimes it’s psychological. People think that when it’s expired, it’s deadly. Seeing so many youtubers used expired food really change the way I see expired or best by dates. As long as it looks good, smells good and taste good then it should be good to eat. Thank you for this video! 😀❤️🙏

[@danniemcdonald7675]

​@DaniElle-di4hThe pasta will be good for nearly forever if stored properly. The cheese sauce, not so much. So I started buying canned nacho/cheese sauces/soups and dips. They last a LONG time and can be used in casseroles, soups, etc.

[@janicedare8832]

In 1974 they started putting expiration dates on food products. That's over 50 years ago. I'm 78 years old, and the rule was if the cans weren't rusty or bulging, it was ok to consume.

[@kimeverhart6253]

If you had your peanut butter chips in the freezer, that would make them look chalky. I always store my chips of all kinds in the freezer and it happens with them all. It NEVER shows in the final product and I bake A LOT of cookies!! 🥰 Thanks for making this video!! Our food is precious and we as a people waste way too much of it. 😢 It’s almost criminal. We need to cherish it like the life giving/life saving gift that it is. ♥️🎶😘 RN, gardener, farmer’s wife from the central Midwest. Ps…Andrew GREW UP!! Pss..I’m so sorry you injured your finger.😓. Sending healing vibes and prayers for you. ❤️‍🩹

[@trubyboo4072]

Shout out from Southern Louisiana 🙌 😆. And that is a true southern statement right there. " Add the amount of seasoning you think is right and then add some more."😂

[@theIAMofME]

I'm the queen of using "expired" stuff. I LOVED this. My family has no clue! LOL No one has ever gotten ill and I always know that or would never incorporate stuff in meals. I'm currently going through a big giant can of Nido milk that expired a year and a half ago. A week or so ago I used a can of green beans that expired in 2018 to put in some veggie beef and barley soup. I tasted them (always) before I added them to the soup. They tasted really good actually. One last thing...if you're a gardener and you throw away "expired" seeds....SHAME!!! They don't expire. Their germination rate decreases over time but, that's about it.

[@snowysnowyriver]

I can't believe that people throw away seeds!! That's insane!! 😮

[@roxyfur]

Brown sugar: add a piece of bread to your container. Sealed, bread doesn't get moldy, just hard from absorbing moisture. Love this vid and all the info. BONUS: your son spitting out the bite!! 😅😅😅😅

[@TheLazyHOAGardener]

Thank you for sharing..I just posted a chili recipe in which I used a few expired canned goods. It was delicious, and we are still here. Soups and stews are a great way to use up expired canned goods.

[@rosamomdmartin]

Most food has a best before date, mostly meat and fish or cooked foods have an expiry date,there is a great difference.take care stay safe everyone.🥰🙏🥰🙏🥰🙏🇬🇧🇺🇸🇬🇧🇺🇸

[@Alli-lx6qy]

I had a white cake mix 1.5 to 2 years out of code. Opened it up, smelled and looked OK. Decided to use it up. Looked on the back of the cake mix to see what leavening it used. Saw that both baking powder and soda was used, so added a teaspoon of each to it. Baked up normal. Then I turned it into a poke cake. If it had been chocolate I may have been more cautious. Chocolate can go rancid. Make sure to do the smell test.

[@Christ_Believer]

Found some top round steak last week in my freezer from 2019- vacuum packed- so no freezer burn- threw it in the crockpot low and slow with mississippi pot roast makings. It was delicious. So much for the "use it within 6 months to a year" advice. Keep doing what you are doing.

[@nicolebrown6450]

I stock pile dry and canned goods and my husband gets so mad if anything goes out of date. This is a relief. I did throw stuff away that was months out of date. Now I can keep more stuff.

[@SusanMurphy-xn5hl]

the most dangerous food (from a poisoning perspective) is left over rice! it doesn't matter how well you reheat rice, it can still make you very sick. The important thing if you're keeping cooked rice is to cool it down quickly. food poisoning is real and very dangerous... but I related so much with your video about expired food. trust your instincts when it comes to food not the over cautious labelling.

[@pinkflaminggo3797]

Honestly we asian never heard anyone died eating left over rice. Lol..Mostly because asian always eat left over rice. To Fried it we need hard left over rice(new one is too soft).. We usualy cook rice from a day before.. some poor people doesnt have rice cooker to warm it and we also eat it during lunch and sometime we forget till we got home at night (so its usualy out without heat for hours) and we all survived. After more than 2 days the rice usualy get hard so we no longger able to eat it if its not inside rice cooker. But we can always smell it. If its smell bad then its not edible. I guest Just Common sense

[@mamagsprepngarden]

So on board with this! My Mom though, will throw out everything that's expired. I finally told her, look before you throw it out....box it up and I'll pick it up. Free groceries 🤣

[@lindabarling7719]

Sometimes, expired food does make you sick. Even if it doesn't have a stinky smell when you open it. Learned this the hard way. Food poison really sux. But, it sure did teach me a lesson. Nowadays, if it's expired more than 3 years, in the trash it goes. I used to feed it to the wild critters, but I can't do that anymore. Brings on far too many wild critters.😂😂😂 Thank you for an interesting expired food video. 🙏🙏🙏y'all don't get sick from eating all that lovely expired food😢God Bless y'all ❤

[@lisapop5219]

There is nothing wrong with it so long as it looks, smells, and tastes good. I am more cautious about dairy as well. The usda says that canned foods are still good as long as they're not bulging or leaking. I have had 3 cans go bad, and they were tomato products and a can of fruit. I think it has to do with the acidity. Some foods don't expire like rice, beans, and pasta. I was very happy to learn these things. I am also a huge fan of vacuum sealing things for the deep freezer.

[@conniefoxx9813]

Your family made me actually smile....especially with your son trying to be taller.

[@jennrae67]

When my grandma passed and I cleaned out her pantry she had peanut butter that was 30 years past its best by date. It was a sight to see.

[@Bellapham19forever]

From a perspective of an Asian, I recommend you should wash your rice before hand

[@Cthomas5678]

I cleaned mine out a couple months ago it was getting out of hand by space wise and I threw away some and regretted it but I also learned a valuable lesson to ROTATE my stock better!!!

[@dianasimplifies]

I started writing dates on mine in permanent marker in a spot that's easy to see and yes rotating it!!

[@PhSyCo-B-oCh]

Pause @ 20:06, put a slice of bread in your brown sugar, close lid tightly, it will re-soften the brown sugar.

[@nicolecarmichael4161]

Keep a slice of bread in your container of brown sugar to keep it from getting crunchy. Just change it out for a new slice once in a while.

[@mrseliephant]

They also sell these things called "brown bears". They are terra cotta brown bears that you can put in the sugar to suck up the moisture.

[@aprilo1616]

Store in the freezer after it softens and it stays soft after that.

[@udderlylost1178]

Had a good science professor in college who was really passionate about this. She was really trying to push the grocery store to donate food to the homeless shelters instead of toss them BEFORE expiration date.

[@nicolebrandt1571]

We have a store that opened to reduce food waste - they get food from local bakeries and bug box stores - and give it all away for free. Such a blessing. And love that I’m helping reduce food waste. The amount of food that otherwise would have been trashed is astounding and quite sad.

[@RobinL4715]

I took Alpha lipoic acid when I had nerve damage from Chemo- it really helped. I also was given omega 3 fish oil and vitamin c to aid healing. Not a dr. Here- just know what worked for me😉

[@NancyHollingshed]

Put lemongrass essential oil on your finger to help the nerves grow back faster. I used it when I had rotator cuff surgery and it really did help those nerves grow back. Happy healing!

[@americafirst9144]

While I firmly believe in the value of natural remedies, putting something non-sterile onto a wound could cause gangrene.

[@jenniferrosenthal7731]

I have no problem with using up “expired” noodles, cereal, canned goods, etc… Most “expiration” dates on pantry items is a marketing ploy anyway. Refrigerated items it depends… I just found a sour cream that was best by November 29th but it was still sealed. It tasted just the way I’d expect it to. Milk always smells bad to me so I defer to my husband on that one. We rarely get to the point where milk gets expired anyway.

[@jenniferrosenthal7731]

Yikes, yeah toss that ASAP

[@karenahrens1756]

Not crazy about expired saltines.

[@karlschwarz8026]

Hi Christine! This is Long time fan of yours Lia, wife to Karl. I hope you see this message. Two things I want to share. Number 1: if you put a slice or 2 of bread or like a spare hotdog bun in your container of brown sugar and leave it for 3-5 (sometimes you can leave it in there longer) days with the lid sealed the brown sugar will pull all the moisture from the bread and be like new. I learned this from my grandmother who taught me how to bake. Number 2: when I had my wisdom teeth removed I lost all feeling on the right side of my tongue with severe nerve damage from the surgery. They told me I could try nerve surgery but, it was a 50/50 shot and there was a chance the nerves would grow back themselves. So, I chose to wait it out. The sensation came back at the 6 or 7 months mark. It was brutal but, worth the wait.

[@nancybrewer8494]

The only things I've had to throw out were canned evaporated milk and Rotel tomatoes. I recently had some freezer burned chicken, but I trimmed off the freezer burned spots and it was fine.

[@fatbaldguy7166]

Have used a year expired evaporated milk in cookies. Yes it’s a darker color but still good to cook with.

[@susieramick7202]

Food Network needs YOU! The time has come for a real person stretching the budget with all the useful pointers you give. And always entertaining! I'm serious!!

[@denarupp991]

You can put/store slices of bread in with your brown sugar. Keeps sugar soft. Change out occasionally

[@ashleyclash6034]

Thank you for this! It drives me insane that people put so much faith into dates on their food! I use almost anything well past its expiration date and never had an issue!

[@barbinokieland4273]

I use stuff that’s expired all the time. Just about got it used up

[@naekki18schlumpf]

Most cans are good for a decade if stored correctly. In Germany we also distinguish between "best before" and "use up till" (mainly raw fish, or minced meat, or pre-packed salads), because they can actually contain many bacteria after a few days.

[@IngridStPierre2]

HONEY,IF IT PASSES THE SNIFF TEST,I'M COOKING GIRL!!!FOOD IS TOO EXPENSIVE!!!YOU HAVE A BEAUTIFUL FAMILY GOD BLESS

[@chrisharmon5453]

I have a child in recovery from an ED and he has “issues “ with certain things and expired food is one of them. It’s frustrating but keeping him eating is more important than food waste.

[@krystalshepherd4582]

What's ED?

[@alliehurd9385]

@@krystalshepherd4582I believe it stands for eating disorder

[@sandralynn3250]

Blown away by how much your son resembles and has the mannerisms as your husband!

[@CorilynSchmidt]

Thank you for this! I cook with expired stuff too. But if my husband or son sees anything expired, they trash it🤦‍♀️ wish they would have the patience to watch this video!

[@aimeewynhausen9924]

for baking powder and soda you can test it with hot / boiling water (baking powder) or vinegar (baking soda) - if they bubble vigorously they are good.

[@organizedchaoslife]

I feel like this video was both a confession and gave freedom to those of us that use expired food. 🙋🏼‍♀️We have so much food waste in our country and many live by those best buy dates. I have tried to hide that we use "expired" food from friends who visit our home. But now I feel i have more confidence and am less shameful of it. Thank you! I also have a memory of when I was young, when my uncle was trying to "help" my grandmother by cleaning out her pantry of all her "expired" canned goods. Granted, there were some that were 10 or so years past the best buy date and she didn't seem to have any organization or rotation system in place. They were not "bad", they just lost some quality. At the time, I remember thinking it was disgusting that she could have food that old. Now, I look back and realize, as someone who grew up in the depression, she was so smart to be putting aside some extra food for a rainy day, a job loss, a pandemic...whatever. And that food was totally fine!

[@RWCLtd3]

Rachael Ray wanted to do a segment on me because of all the expired food I use. We just couldn't get our schedules coordinated and then her show was cancelled. I'm still using microwave popcorn from 2013 and every kernel pops. I even use yogurt that is over a year old. I put all dairy in the fridge upside down, then smell it when I want to eat it. All good. If in doubt, throw it out. Next: I almost chopped off my pinky with gardening shears over a year ago - at 5pm on a Sunday. Luckily, urgent care was opened. I also had 5 stitches and nerve damage. I had to keep it wrapped in a splint for weeks and, after the stitches were removed, I had to use Bacitracin on it. I still have neuropathy, but can tell the weather better than any meteorologist out there. Heal better! Love, love, love your videos!

[@dianasimplifies]

Gardening shears are scary. I chopped the tip of my finger off and it bled and bled. Took me forever to get the bleeding stopped but no ER visit needed thankfully. It still hurts years later if I happen to bang the tip of it on something.

[@alishawilliams4194]

I did cut off the tip of my left index finger two years ago on a mandolin slicer. You have reason to hope because even though I never went to a doctor, I healed my cut myself and while it was painful and very tender for a few months after, the nerves apparently did grow back. The tip of the finger feels completely normal now and even the nail grew back with very little discrepancy over the original. Loved this video and totally agree that for the most part food is good for way longer than the best buy dates.

[@Stevanavich725]

The throw up sound in the background 😂😂😂

[@lisakallunki5042]

I helped a friend Declutter, her walk in pantry a couple of weeks ago. She had quite a bit of expired food. I told her if she was willing to use it within the next month. She should go ahead and keep it but put it in a specific area together so she would know that it needed to be used up. We also figured out a couple of recipes that she could use to utilize those ingredients. There were other expired items that she was willing to donate. We have a local food pantry that will take expired items. Can goods up to three years boxed items up to two years.

[@mariafentis]

If anyone has compromised immune system or any chronic issues please be careful and use your common sense!

[@trenniasmith9000]

I had grandparents who lived during depression days. As long as no dents in the can fir possible exposure and, frozen goods, the box was not open then its all good. Plus the heat us a factor. We ate. I use expired foods but my daughter now 26 refuses to do so. And we have been in a recession. Yall better listen and learn

[@julie9475]

I just found my dashboard confessional cd broken last week but the music lives on in my heart and your channel 😂

[@sarahknippling3897]

I love how excited you are about the 3/4 measuring cup 😂😂😂. I grew up with Tupperware sets and didn’t realize that it wasn’t standard 😂

[@alexanderschwarm7755]

Love you Christine i watch and rewatch your videos. You lift my spirits. Never change!

[@kaitlynlee7070]

Me too. There's something so comforting about her content for me ❤

[@lisamendonca4913]

Turn peanut butter upside down the oil will not separate 👍😉

[@theresalogsdon765]

Thanks for Showing us that things are Still Ok to Use. 😎✌️

[@Gardeningchristine]

I’m so proud of you for this. My son is an expired throw awayer. It’s so silly to not even check if it’s still good…usually it is FINE!

[@deborahturner1853]

Your son is "expired"?😂😂😂😂😂

[@mooglies]

Christine, for nerve damage, starting desensitizing training as soon as you car bear it, will help you heal faster. Start with some silk or satin and work up. It sucks, and is painful, but what you put into it, is really what you get out of it. (I have nerve damage in my back and leg from a collision last summer) one step at a time! It does get better!

[@MyFocusVaries]

I have nerve damage in my foot, not from a cut, but from force (digging a lot of holes with inappropriate footwear). The physio said nerves are minimum 3 months to regrow.

[@malissachavira1412]

I have nerve damage in my left pointer finger. But I was so young that I didn't pay attention to regrowth. Actually no one talked to me about nerve damage. They just sewed me up and sent me home. Ugh lol

[@AZJH8374]

I cant believe you had a band-aid on your finger!!! 4 days ago l cut my index finger L hand. 5 stitches as well. Oy!! It hurts, & I'm getting the stitches out in 6 days. Now l wish i scheduled it for 14 days! Yikes. Wish me luck! ❤

[@FrugalFitMom]

The bandaid is to prevent it from getting hit, which hurts like a mother!

[@dbrolig1534]

Nothing like the Tony’s sneeze 😂❤

[@evawilson6735]

A tip for you !!! Put a damp paper towel in your hard brown sugar. and it will totally make it soft again. Bonus tip......Put a piece of bread in a container of cookies and it will keep your cookies soft.

[@gladyschandler6724]

Cookies usually 12 minutes at 350. It's best to turn tray around at halfway mark. Also, move the ones on the lower rack to top rack.

[@melcha7352]

Your family being involved in some of your vlogs ...I find them funny. This is great.

[@christinem.alwaysbelieve]

I am so glad you made a video on this. A lot of people toss stuff immediately. I have made a cake or two that has turned into pancakes. lol Never have I gotten sick though. 😊

[@dainespencer2613]

I add a couple teaspoon of baking powder to the expired cake mixes and they usually rise just fine

[@christinem.alwaysbelieve]

@dainespencer2613 Ty. It does work as used since the pancake cakes. 😊

[@dianasimplifies]

Yes I had this happen with old jiffy mix once 😂 learned my lesson on that one

[@christinem.alwaysbelieve]

@@dianasimplifies 😁

[@JuliHoffman]

"Best-by" and "expired" are absolutely two different things. Love that you made this video! Also, if your fridge runs cold, as mine does, even things like unopened milk will last past its sell-by date. The top shelf of my fridge is so cold that things will freeze. If I know I might not be able to use my milk right away, I'll either freeze it or store it on that shelf. As long as it smells fine, it's fine.

[@leahrowe847]

Many retailers guarantee their milk for up to 7 days past expiry date... even they know it's not BAD on the date!

[@mehtarelingolien]

Put a piece of bread in your brown sugar container and leave it for a few hours. Sugar will be perfect. Or just keep marshmallows in the container, permanently. They work like dry rice in the salt shaker.

[@danniemcdonald7675]

My grandmother always had rice in the salt shakers. I was an adult when I found out why. I thought everyone did that LOL.

[@lorettauppercue6400]

A few months ago, I had an allergic reaction from some food I had eaten ( unknowingly with MSG) and got up in the middle of the night to take some Benadryl quickly . It worked great. I looked at the box later that morning, and it expired in 2014!!!!!!!!!! And still worked!!!! Thank goodness

[@chelseafailla9887]

I love his video so much! I serve at a local food bank and there is often expired food and it's so hard to convince people that it's fine. I'm going to share this video with everyone there I can! Haha

[@ShellyRockiesG]

A food bank at a nearby church refuses “expired” (past the best by date) food. SMH... We just give it away on Nextdoor.

[@joeygilligan4278]

It's bad enough people have to ask for help but to degrade them with expired food is shamefull! Most pantry helpers take the good food first! I've seen it first hand! Most produce they give goes bad in one day!

[@chelseafailla9887]

​@@joeygilligan4278 a lot of the produce, dairy and other perishable food we get comes from grocery stores and is on its way out, which is why it ends up at the food bank. And many of the non perishables are short dated (coming from larger distribution food banks). Like Christine shows in this video, most of it is totally fine :). I'd rather have a chance at getting some produce and dairy for free and possibly have to throw a bit of it away then not have it all 🤷‍♀️

[@ShellyRockiesG]

@@joeygilligan4278 Canned and dried goods are good beyond the “best buy” date. That isn’t an expiration date. That’s the misunderstanding. That’s the point of this video. No one is forcing anyone to take the offered food in the food pantry. They have a choice.

[@Philyra86]

This takes me back to my own childhood where my mom would teach me what things are supposed to smell like when they're still good. Never once did she ask me what the date on them was. Smell, look and taste were the key ingredients. I still use them until this day (i'm 37). I can for instance smell when bread is bad even before looking at it or when the potatoes are done cooking.