Expiry dates are printed on almost all food products you purchase from the market. We are all concerned about expiration dates and try consuming foods ahead of the date to prevent getting sick. However, you may be shocked to learn that there are certain foods that are good for eating a day, a week or even a few years after the expiry date stated on the package.

Expired Foods
Considering this fact, Doug Rauch, the former president of Trader Joe’s supermarkets, is planning to open a grocery store, The Daily Table, which will feature items that are past their expiry date.

Which Foods Are Safe To Eat?

Men’s health nutrition expert Alan Aragon, M.S says that it is not easy to say if the food is safe to eat or not. There are many foods that can be safely consumed even though they don’t look or smell great. Generally, processed and refined foods can be kept safely stored even after their expiration date. This is because these foods have very little or no moisture in which microbes can thrive and they have added preservatives. However, there is an exception to this. It is not safe to consume processed foods such as hot dogs, deli sandwich meat and sausages because they can form bacteria, called listeria. This bacterium can cause an infection called listeriosis that can later cause meningitis.

Here is a list of common foods that you can consume safely even past their expiration date, says Argon.

  1. Canned Foods: Usually, the expiration date stated on most canned food is from one to four years. However, when stored safely in a cool and dark place, undented canned foods can remain edible for double their shelf life.
  2. Frozen Foods: Similar to canned foods, you can easily double the shelf life of frozen foods. The only exception is meat, which should not be consumed after its expiration date.
  3. Bread: You can safely consume bread if it is properly stored in a refrigerator. However, discard it if you see any mold growing.
  4. Eggs: There is a simple home test to determine if eggs are safe to eat. Place an egg in a bowl filled with water. If the egg floats, it is not good for eating. An egg will float if it has produced a large amount of bacteria because bacteria secrete gases in high numbers, causing the egg to float.
  5. Pasta: Pasta is a dry food that does not contain moisture and can be stored as long as you like. However, avoid eating it if it smells bad.
  6. Fruits and Vegetables: The smell and look of fruits and vegetables give a good indication of whether or not they are okay to eat.

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