Using dried pasta past "best if if used by" date

pinggolfer96
pinggolfer96 Posts: 2,248 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I found a box of whole grain pasta in my pantry that IS open. It doesn't appear to look bad though. It says best if used by sept of 2013.....didn't know if I should risk it or not? I considered if it looks okay and is a dried product, will it be bad both health and taste wise?

Replies

  • myheartsabattleground
    myheartsabattleground Posts: 2,040 Member
    Toss it.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,217 Member
    I'd cook it. *shrug* The worst that will happen is that it won't taste good, I can't imagine it could possibly go off. I used a salad dressing that expired 13 months ago the other night. Sniffed it, risked it, it was fine.
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    I'd eat it. It's dried.
  • mstigurl
    mstigurl Posts: 20 Member
    According to the food bank that I volunteer at, they will accept and donate food as long as it is within 5 years. The best by date is not the expiration date. So I would go for it :)
  • ilovecereal1982
    ilovecereal1982 Posts: 1,194 Member
    I have dried pasta all over my pantry. ..most of it isn't even in a box!!! Just random broken spaghetti pieces that get stuck to the bottom of my feet. Now...pasta sauce that can expire..cause once you pop that top...ooooh boy the clock is ticking my friend.
  • kathrynjean_
    kathrynjean_ Posts: 428 Member
    edited September 2015
    A "best before" date is different than an "expiry date", although my understanding is that the U.S. and Canada require all food items to be stamped with one or the other. There is no harm in eating most food items past their best before date, it just means that the manufacturer can't guarantee optimal freshness past that date.

    Eat the pasta! It's fine!
  • Unknown
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  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,217 Member
    "By the 1300's dried pasta was very popular for its nutrition and long shelf life, making it ideal for long ship voyages. " - A history of pasta. If it was good enough for twelfth century ship-life, it's good enough for you!
  • LKArgh
    LKArgh Posts: 5,178 Member
    Eat it. Unless it looks bad, like has mold or worms or something equally disgusting, which would be pretty obvious, eat it.
  • kristydi
    kristydi Posts: 781 Member
    Unless it smells or looks weird, I'd eat it.
  • zoeysasha37
    zoeysasha37 Posts: 7,088 Member
    I'd eat it
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    edited September 2015
    This content has been removed.

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