If you have cans of food that are no longer safe to eat, there are a few options for what to do with them. First, you can donate the food to a local food bank or soup kitchen. Second, you can sell the cans on eBay or Craigslist and give the money to charity. Finally, if you’re really ambitious, you could turn those expired cans into compost!
This Video Should Help:
Check the can for dents, rust, or leaks
One of the first things you should do when you find a can of food that has expired is to check the can for dents, rust, or leaks. If the can is dented, it may be unsafe to eat, as bacteria can enter through the dent. If the can is rusty, it may also be unsafe to eat, as rust can also give bacteria a way to enter the food. If the can is leaking, it is definitely not safe to eat.
If the can looks OK, you can then decide whether to keep it or not. If you’re not sure whether you’ll use it within a few months, it’s probably best to put it in the freezer. If you think you’ll use it within a few months, you can keep it in your pantry.
These are just a few tips for what to do with expired cans of food. For more tips, check out this blog post by Food52’s Russ Friedeman.
If the can is damaged, throw it away
“If the can is damaged, throw it away. If the can is swollen or dented, or if the seam that runs around its circumference is interrupted, donufffdt take any chances,” said Shelf-Life Advice, a blog run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service and North Carolina State University.
The site advises people to check for these signs of damage before using any food that’s been stored in a can ufffd even if the expiration date hasn’t passed yet.
“You should also avoid using frozen food that has been thawed and then refrozen, as this can cause bacteria to multiply,” said blog co-author Dr. Lisa Friedman in a post on navigatgngexpiredfood.com. “If you have any doubt about the safety of a food, itufffds best to throw it out.”
So what should you do with all those cans of food that are taking up space in your pantry? Friedman has some tips:
-If the can is unopened and within six months of its expiration date, transfer it to the freezer. Canned goods will keep for up to two years in a freezer, as long as they’re not exposed to temperatures below 0 degrees Fahrenheit (-18 degrees Celsius).
-If the can is more than six months expired but less than a year, use it sooner rather than later. “While most canned foods will keep for at least a year past their expiration date, there are some exceptions,” Friedman said. “Canned meat and fish generally last for two to five years past their expiration date.”
-If the can is more than a year expired but less than two years, use it within a few months. “As canned goods age, their quality deteriorates ufffd especially if they’ve been stored in warm or humid conditions,” Friedman said. “So if you’ve got a can of soup that’s more than two years old, you might want to think twice before eating it.”
If the can is not damaged, open it and smell the contents
Most food-storage calculating done by the blog “The Kitchn” shows that most canned goods actually last way longer than their printed expiration date. In fact, as long as the can is not damaged, and you open it and smell the contents before consuming, most cans are still good years after their expiration date!
However, just because something *can* last a long time, does not mean that it *will*last that long. Use your nose and your eyes to help you navigate these things. If a can has been stored in a hot place like beside the oven or above the fridge, it won’t last as long as one stored in a cool, dark pantry. If a can is dented or swollen, throw it out.
Once you’ve determined that a can is good, you can then decide if you want to keep it in your pantry or move it to the freezer. Canned goods stored in the Pantry will have a shorter shelf-life than if they are stored in the freezer. Canned goods stored in the freezer can last up to 18 months.
If the contents smell bad, throw them away
If the contents of the can smell bad, it’s best to just throw it away. Most foodborne illnesses are caused by bacteria, and these bacteria can multiply quickly in food that isn’t properly preserved.
If you’re unsure whether or not the contents of a can have gone bad, there are a few things you can do to check. First, take a look at the can itself. If it’s dented or damaged in any way, it’s best to err on the side of caution and throw it away.
Next, check the expiration date. If the can is expired, it’s best to throw it away. However, if it’s only a few months past the expiration date, you may still be able to use it.
Finally, if you’re still not sure whether or not the contents of a can are safe to eat, open it up and take a look. If the food looks and smells normal, it should be safe to eat. If not, throw it away.
If you have canned food that you know is safe to eat but that you don’t think you’ll be able to use before it goes bad, consider donating it to a local food bank or soup kitchen.
If the contents smell good, taste a small amount
If the can is dented, rusted, or swollen, THROW IT OUT.
If the can is simply expired, that’s not necessarily a reason to get rid of it. Most expiration dates are actually “best if used by” dates, which means that after that date, the quality of the food may change but it will not necessarily be spoiled. If the contents smell good and taste normal when you test them (by frying up a small amount), then it’s probably fine to use.
Canned goods in the pantry can be used past their expiration dates if stored properly. “Properly” means in a cool, dry place below 85 degrees Fahrenheit; in most homes, that’s going to be the pantry, not the fridge or freezer. If cans are stored in a hot place (like next to the stove), their lifespan will be shorter.
Once you’ve opened a can of food, you need to eat it within two days or transfer it to an airtight container and freeze it for up to six months. And don’t forget: If a can is damaged or rusting, throw it away ufffd even if it’s not expired yet!
If the contents taste bad, throw them away
When it comes to deciding what to do with expired cans of food, the general rule of thumb is that if the contents taste bad, you should throw them away. However, there are certain things you can do with expired cans of food that may extend their shelf life, such as storing them in the freezer or pantry.
In a blog post on Tips for Navigating Expiration Dates, Tod Friedman gives some advice on what to do with expired food. He recommends that if a can of food has been in the pantry for more than six months, it should be thrown away. However, if the can is less than six months old and the contents taste bad, you can try freezing it. Friedman says that canned foods will keep in the freezer for two to three months.
So, if you have a can of food that is more than six months old and the contents don’t taste good, it’s best to throw it away. If the can is less than six months old and the contents don’t taste good, you can try freezing it.
If the contents taste good, eat them!
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When it comes to food expiration dates, you might be surprised to learn that the dates listed on canned goods are not necessarily indicative of when the food goes bad. In fact, according to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), canned goods are safe to eat as long as the can itself is in good condition and has not been damaged.
So what should you do with those cans of food that have been sitting in your pantry for months (or even years)? If the contents taste good, eat them!
If you’re not sure if the contents of an expired can are still edible, there are a few things you can do to check. First, take a look at the can. If it is dented or damaged in any way, it’s best to err on the side of caution and throw it out. Second, smell the contents of the can. If it smells bad or off in any way, it’s best to discard it. Finally, if you’re still not sure whether or not the contents are safe to eat, you can always freezer them until you have a chance to use them.
If you’re not sure if the contents are still good, check the expiration date
If you’re not sure if the contents are still good, check the expiration date. If it’s been more than a few months, chances are it’s no longer good. The general rule of thumb is that canned goods will last for two years if unopened, and six to nine months if opened.
If you have cans of food that are beyond their expiration date, there are some things you can do to extend their shelf life:
– Store them in a cool, dark place: Cans of food should be stored in a cool, dark place like a pantry or cupboard. If they’re stored in a warm place, they may spoil more quickly.
– Freeze them: Canned goods can be frozen for up to six months. This won’t extend their shelf life, but it will keep them fresh longer.
– Don’t stack them too high: Cans should be stored in a single layer so that they don’t get crushed.
If the expiration date has passed, throw the contents away
If the expiration date has passed, throw the contents away, even if itufffds just a day or two. If the food is unopened, you can often still use it, but itufffds best to check with a food safety expert to be sure. If the food is opened and thereufffds signs of spoilage (like mold), then it should also be thrown away.
You can extend the life of some foods by freezing them, but this only works for certain items. Canned goods are a great example ufffd they can last for months or even years in the freezer, as long as theyufffdre unopened. Once you open them, however, you need to eat them within a few days.
Expiration dates are more like guidelines than hard-and-fast rules, so use your best judgment (and nose). If something smells bad or looks moldy, donufffdt chance it. When in doubt, throw it out!
If you’re still not sure, check the internet for more information
If you’re still not sure, check the internet for more information. The USDA’s Food Safety and inspection Service has a searchable database of foodborne illness outbreaks going back to 1998 on its website. You can also find tips from ReLERH’s own food safety experts, like this blog post from Helene Friedman about what to do with expired things in your pantry.
External References-
https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2013/06/27/you-toss-food-wait-check-it-out
