AHA! Vindication! I am known around my house as sometimes using (or serving) food or items from the fridge that are a little bit "past their prime". I realize this goes against my Martha Stewart reputation, (my friend Susie calls me Gina Stewart) but I hate to throw away perfectly good food. With this goal in mind, I've been known to cut a little mold off a block of cheese, or scrape some suspicious looking gunk out of the jelly jar. And the time I served my son Brad (then about 3) a piece of green baloney, that he promptly threw up all over the couch, is a day that will live in infamy. Not my proudest moment, to be sure. But, did you know that Americans waste an estimated 14 to 40 percent of food they buy? 14% is okay, but 40%? That's almost half of groceries you've paid good money for. And the price of groceries seems to be going up by the day. Given these statistics, I feel vindicated to find out that experts say that the use-by, sell-by and eat-by dates are largely designed for quality, not the safety, of food. So, it might taste a little-less-than perfect, but it won't kill you. Experts say not to eat something if it's obviously gone bad (green baloney, anyone?), but if it smells, looks and tastes OK- it probably is. So there, children! And Brad- sorry about that green baloney.
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