Expired. Expired. Expired.

No, I’m not talking about a vehicle’s warranty. I’m talking food.

Geico had a great commercial about an infestation of “ants.”  A couple sitting on their couch explains how they love their new home, but they have ants. One aunt stands in front of the refrigerator looking at the expiration dates on the condiment jars all the while saying, “Expired. Expired. Expired.” as one by one gets thrown out.

All of us can find bottles of salad dressing in our refrigerators that have gone past their prime, but why is it that the number of expired items in grandma’s fridge and cupboards is excessive? For some folks living on a fixed income, it’s hard to throw away food, especially at these high inflated prices. And what do those “sell by”, “use by”, and “best if used by” dates really mean anyway? To my knowledge, there is no federal regulation on date labeling, and there is so much misinformation out there. I’ve heard that milk is okay to drink five days after the “sell by” date before it sours. But is that even true?

I guess you can use your senses. But what about a person who has lost their sense of smell? This happens as one ages, which is good when you enter the bathroom after your spouse has just exited, but not so good if you cannot smell the sour milk before you pour it into your coffee cup.

Maybe the items stay in the refrigerators and cupboards because as we age, we become adverse to phrases like “use by,” “sell by,” and worst of all, “expired.” Does it hit too close to home? Time is ticking, and we don’t want to be reminded that there is a life expectancy for everything - including us. If we keep the expired salad dressing, it still exists. It’s not gone forever. It might not taste as good as when it was first brought home, but it’s there. 

Whatever the reason, eating expired items can be a real issue. Eating spoiled food can result in nausea, vomiting, cramps, and food poisoning. Adults aged 65 and older are at a higher risk due to their immune system not recognizing and getting rid of harmful germs as easily as it once did. 

It’s worth it to take a look at the items in your refrigerator and pantry and get rid of items that are old. There is a food app called Foodkeeper that explains food and beverage storage and can help guide you on whether to keep or toss items.

For me, I’ll live by the motto, “When in doubt, throw it out” because I don’t want someone saying at my funeral, “She shouldn't have eaten that.”