My turn to rant... food bank food

[unionwirewoman]

I can understand the frustration.......I don't understand why anyone , however , would ask why give it away because you won't eat it . If anyone has a husband like mine , who goes grocery shopping and buys the exact opposite of what I asked for.....that can is going to sit there until I can give it away . I grew up poor....you never complained about what you ate or where it came from as long as your belly stopped grumbling . As others have stated....canned foods are good way past their expiration date.....I would think that if I were hungry enough....I'd eat it.....and I would assume that if the person taking the can home were to say they didn't want it ....they could swap it out . Is it right to have to lower yourself to accept expired food ? No...but until something better comes along.....economy changing....Americans helping Americans instead of other countries , this will continue .

 

[Bettacreek]

When I was spring cleaning, I dug out some toothpaste that we would never use. There were like 10 tubes, all unused/unexpired. I found them on sale, and unfortunately bought a ton thinking that hubby would use them (I use children's, the adult stuff BURNS my tongue because of so much mint, and hubby is picky about his toothpaste

). Anyways, one or two had boxes that were so damaged that they were no longer sealed. I asked them about those tubes, and they readily accepted them. While *I* am not a creep that would do anything to them, it really concerned me that someone ELSE might. The worst part of all, is that most people in poverty have children, what if a child used tampered with "goods"?

 

[HennysMom]

thats just wrong... expired food - ugh.

See now I'm just the opposite on the "dented cans" I wont buy them at all. I'm afraid the seal has been compromised by the dent, therefore the chance of botulisum is much greater. I've always been told NOT to buy dented cans of anything just for this reason.

My cat doesnt even get dented cans of cat food...

I've seen it happen with MIL buying dented cans, they looked okay, but over time...they did end up having the seals compromised.

Acidic foods do not keep for long either in cans and can become rancid, so make sure you check your cans in your cupboards.

 

[77horses]

Yeah I don't get it either!

My dad used to go to the food bank occasionally and a lot of it tasted the same: old and bland.

Who knows if it can make you sick because it's so old.

 

[Picky Chicky]

I am majorly OCD when it comes to expired foods and other products (right down to deoderant). The day our milk expires, I toss it. I would absolutely NEVER EVER donate expired food.

Adults that feel comfortable that their stomachs are strong enough to handle outdated food - that's ok with me, but you just don't do that to children.

Edited to include a side thought...
When I was just out of school I worked with my Mom at a transportation company. They had a warehouse that they kept items that they damaged or didn't deliver in time. Since they'd have to eat the cost of that haul, they'd try and sell it dirt cheap to the employees. I bought spaghetti noodles from them once and it was the last time I ever bought food from them again... totally weevil filled. Ugh!

 

[ksacres]

We eat expired stuff all the time. I have eaten bottled salad dressing that is over four years old. I have made cakes from boxed mixes that are from when I still lived at home (we're talking seven years here!).

Would I donate it? Probably not, but there's nothing wrong with 99% of "expired" foods. There's a reason they're called "non-perishables".

Of course, this is coming from a person that has eaten cheese after scraping off some surface mold. That's just the way I was raised. Waste not, want not...

 

[PunkerTechnoRoo?ter]

I eat stuff from the darkest corners of the frig and cupboard, but I have some rules...
1. If its a dry good and there are no insects, I eat it.
2. If its a can good, I open it just a little and sniff. If it doesnt seem right I toss.
3. If its high in acid I usually dont worry about eating cause acid kills of mold and most bacteria.
4. If it has hot peppers in it see #3, capsaicin kills off alot too.
5. If scientists can eat flesh from a frozen mammoth and say it takes okay. Then I can eat anything in my freezer just as long as the freezer never breaks down or the power goes out for a couple of days.
6. I have a gut of iron. I have never had food poisoning, even in a situation my whole family came down with it and we ate off the same tray of deli sandwiches I came away fine. What are the chances ?

 

[HarlansHollowFarms]

Quote:

Cheese is supose to have mold on it...it is called aged and makes for very good cheese.
I will eat about anything, as long as it is not rancid. My grand mother would use flour that have weavels, she would tell us it was just added protein...never killed us, and back then you didn't just throw it away, you couldn't afford to.
When we were kids we would take the old MREs and eat them....I'm talking about the ones in the cans...some tasted ok, others not so good...never killed us
I think people worry way to much sometimes...

 

[JennsPeeps]

Quote:
Make some darn brownies already and let that tired old cocoa RIP!!

 

[Pupsnpullets]

I 'try' to go through the pantry every 6 months and pull the old cans forward and put the newer ones behind. Occasionally something slips past quality control and if its expired I eat it immediately. Anything teetering on the edge, and I have duplicates of it, I donate it. I feel it's disrespectful to donate expired goods. That's just me, I don't judge what others do.