out of date veg

madamrooroo

So I looked in the fridge this morning and noticed the amount of veg and how most of it was 1-2 days past its best before date. Now usually I'm quite fussy with bbd but as it's all veg, I gave it the old sniff and squeeze test. It all seemed fine (celery, tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, onions). So being productive I've rinsed and chopped it all up ready to make a big batch of vegan spag bol later this afternoon. I'm the only vegetarian in my house so the plan is to freeze it until needed. Seems like a good enough plan right? Shame to waste such good veg.

pootle1972

Brilliant plan.....with veg I always ignore dates as long as it still looks edible. Even when they go slightly soft, peppers carrots etc I cut up and roast or turn into soup

pootle1972

Just take out of plastic when you buy them and leaving in the crisper drawer until you need them checking they aren't going funky is all I do.

madamrooroo

Thanks. I tend to keep most veg in the bottom of the fridge. It's a shame no one else in my family will eat it as they are very fussy kids and hubby.

kshama2001

I don't use the Best By Dates on veggies as a guide - I go by their appearance. I know I've eaten carrots well past their BBD.

Wouldn't your family eat your vegan spaghetti bolognese? Veggies in pasta sauce sounds like a good way to get kids anyway to eat them.

melonaulait

I believe with vegetables and fruit you are your own judge. It's easy to tell if they are still edible or not.

pebble4321

I dont recall ever seeing a use-by date on fruit or vegetables, I just use my senses and my judgement.
If they look good to you, then go for it.

Cynsonya

I've never seen a date on fruit or veg but I do only buy from the bins to select each piece personally. I never buy bagged.

CassidyScaglione

where the hell do you buy vegetables with best before dates anyways? I have never seen this.

lynn1982

CassidyScaglione wrote: »

where the hell do you buy vegetables with best before dates anyways? I have never seen this.

My thoughts EXACTLY...

pootle1972

Pre bagged have use by dates.

lynn_glenmont

pebble4321 wrote: »

I dont recall ever seeing a use-by date on fruit or vegetables, I just use my senses and my judgement.
If they look good to you, then go for it.

Cynsonya wrote: »

I've never seen a date on fruit or veg but I do only buy from the bins to select each piece personally. I never buy bagged.

CassidyScaglione wrote: »

where the hell do you buy vegetables with best before dates anyways? I have never seen this.

This^, this^, and this^. More than four decades of cooking, and I've never looked for best-by dates on fruits and vegetables, other than pre-washed bagged salad greens (and I only look at that in the store, to pick what I hope is the freshest bag). Just checked my celery, which is sold in a bag, and I don't see any date. No date on my 5-lb bag of white potatoes (well, there is a number stamped on the little plastic tab that keeps the bag closed, but it's not a number that conveys a date to the consumer). Ditto with a 2-lb package of strawberries. Obviously no dates on things that I buy loose from bins, like bananas, onions, garlic, shallots, sweet potatoes, cabbage.

Anyway, I wouldn't throw away fruits and vegetables because of a best-by date. If there are soft spots or wilty bits, you probably want to discard (although wilted stalk-type veggies can sometimes be revived by sticking the bottom in a container of cold water, and even wilted veggies can still go in soup stock or broth; just toss in freezer until ready to make stock). If there is mold, or it smells funny, or has gone slimy, discard.

pootle1972

In the UK all supermarket produce that has been pre bagged has to by law have a use by sell by date.

kommodevaran

pebble4321 wrote: »

I dont recall ever seeing a use-by date on fruit or vegetables, I just use my senses and my judgement.
If they look good to you, then go for it.

Cynsonya wrote: »

I've never seen a date on fruit or veg but I do only buy from the bins to select each piece personally. I never buy bagged.

CassidyScaglione wrote: »

where the hell do you buy vegetables with best before dates anyways? I have never seen this.

Me neither. At first I just assumed this was an American thing, but now I'm not sure
Sight, smell, touch, taste test, in that order

zoeysasha37

None of my produce has best by dates. I must use common sense each time I go into the fridge to eat one.

earlnabby

You do realize that those dates (on fresh things like produce, bread, and dairy) are for the sellers, not the buyers, right? Those are the last dates they can sell them. On shelf items (canned, boxed, dried, etc) the dates are "best used by" and are for the buyers.

Lounmoun

My produce doesn't have best before dates on it either.
http://www.stilltasty.com is a useful site.
Freezing sauce is fine.

laurenpjokl

The micro-organisms which grow fastest on vegetables are spoilage organisms which are unlikely to cause illness. The best before on veg is calculated based on this, on not on the growth of pathogenic organisms. Therefore, if it looks fine, it's unlikely to cause illness.

This is not true for all foods, though, obviously.

fishshark

i eat veg and fruit so beyond the date. If it isnt moldy im eating it.

DaniettaF

Also best before just means that the food isn't at it's best, use by dates are the ones you need to keep an eye out for. With vegetables and fruit, I see if it's looks mouldy or just wrong, then pick it up to see if it's okay, not too squishy, then smell it, then if it's all good, taste it. If it passes the tests it all good

OyGeeBiv

To keep celery and carrots fresh longest, I keep them refrigerated root-end-down in a container with and inch or two of water in the bottom.