I could be wrong here but I believe you said you either work at a food bank
or have worked at one. If this is true, I have a question. Do they take
expired food? This subject came up on a couponing site where many people
are saying they donate their expired food. But there is one woman there who
works at a food bank and she said they are unable to give it out and have to
just toss it. She said they toss most of the food donated because the cans
are dented or the food is badly expired. Some by as much as years. Yet
there are other people who claim their food bank does take expired food or
that they themselves have gotten expired food from a food bank. I know
there is no universal answer on this and each food bank would be different.
I just would never donate expired food. To me that seems like a mean thing
to do.

Thanks!

Julie Bove > wrote:
: I could be wrong here but I believe you said you either work at a food bank
: or have worked at one. If this is true, I have a question. Do they take
: expired food? This subject came up on a couponing site where many people
: are saying they donate their expired food. But there is one woman there who
: works at a food bank and she said they are unable to give it out and have to
: just toss it. She said they toss most of the food donated because the cans
: are dented or the food is badly expired. Some by as much as years. Yet
: there are other people who claim their food bank does take expired food or
: that they themselves have gotten expired food from a food bank. I know
: there is no universal answer on this and each food bank would be different.
: I just would never donate expired food. To me that seems like a mean thing
: to do.

: Thanks!

The food banks I am associated with, both in NYC and Margaretville discard
all expired food. I believe that it is the law in NYC. I, myself, have
often used slighly outdated food with no harm. Of course, I do examine it
to make sure the can and the contents are all OK.

Wendy

"W. Baker" > wrote in message
...
> Julie Bove > wrote:
> : I could be wrong here but I believe you said you either work at a
> food bank
> : or have worked at one. If this is true, I have a question. Do they
> take
> : expired food? This subject came up on a couponing site where many
> people
> : are saying they donate their expired food. But there is one woman
> there who
> : works at a food bank and she said they are unable to give it out and
> have to
> : just toss it. She said they toss most of the food donated because
> the cans
> : are dented or the food is badly expired. Some by as much as years.
> Yet
> : there are other people who claim their food bank does take expired
> food or
> : that they themselves have gotten expired food from a food bank. I
> know
> : there is no universal answer on this and each food bank would be
> different.
> : I just would never donate expired food. To me that seems like a
> mean thing
> : to do.
>
> : Thanks!
>
> The food banks I am associated with, both in NYC and Margaretville
> discard
> all expired food. I believe that it is the law in NYC. I, myself,
> have
> often used slighly outdated food with no harm. Of course, I do
> examine it
> to make sure the can and the contents are all OK.


Are they expired dates or best by dates? Canned food will last for years
after best by. Packaged or fresh obviously don't. I have received cans
past best by date from food banks and nothing wrong with them. Pity the
rules couldn't be bit more lenient especially for canned foods. I was
given a bunch of stuff when an aunt died and I made buttermilk pancakes
from a powdered mix in sachets that were 7 years past the expiry date. I
lived And the quality was great.

"Ozgirl" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> "W. Baker" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Julie Bove > wrote:
>> : I could be wrong here but I believe you said you either work at a food
>> bank
>> : or have worked at one. If this is true, I have a question. Do they
>> take
>> : expired food? This subject came up on a couponing site where many
>> people
>> : are saying they donate their expired food. But there is one woman
>> there who
>> : works at a food bank and she said they are unable to give it out and
>> have to
>> : just toss it. She said they toss most of the food donated because the
>> cans
>> : are dented or the food is badly expired. Some by as much as years. Yet
>> : there are other people who claim their food bank does take expired food
>> or
>> : that they themselves have gotten expired food from a food bank. I know
>> : there is no universal answer on this and each food bank would be
>> different.
>> : I just would never donate expired food. To me that seems like a mean
>> thing
>> : to do.
>>
>> : Thanks!
>>
>> The food banks I am associated with, both in NYC and Margaretville
>> discard
>> all expired food. I believe that it is the law in NYC. I, myself, have
>> often used slighly outdated food with no harm. Of course, I do examine
>> it
>> to make sure the can and the contents are all OK.
>
>
> Are they expired dates or best by dates? Canned food will last for years
> after best by. Packaged or fresh obviously don't. I have received cans
> past best by date from food banks and nothing wrong with them. Pity the
> rules couldn't be bit more lenient especially for canned foods. I was
> given a bunch of stuff when an aunt died and I made buttermilk pancakes
> from a powdered mix in sachets that were 7 years past the expiry date. I
> lived And the quality was great.

Canned tomatoes can go very bad. I accidentally bought some that were
expired by just a few months. I also had a can that was not expired. I
opened them and compared them. World of difference between them as to color
and texture. I threw them out.

I wonder if we have different canning methods here. I often find things
in the back of the pantry I had forgotten about and have never seen a
deterioration in canned foods.


"Julie Bove" > wrote in message
...

> Canned tomatoes can go very bad. I accidentally bought some that were
> expired by just a few months. I also had a can that was not expired.
> I opened them and compared them. World of difference between them as
> to color and texture. I threw them out.

"Ozgirl" > wrote in message
...
>I wonder if we have different canning methods here. I often find things in
>the back of the pantry I had forgotten about and have never seen a
>deterioration in canned foods.

Me either.

Cheri

"Ozgirl" > wrote in message
...
>I wonder if we have different canning methods here. I often find things in
>the back of the pantry I had forgotten about and have never seen a
>deterioration in canned foods.

A while back I put a bunch of old canned things down the sink. I have been
more careful since then to check expiration dates and not buy too many
extras. Anyway... Most of the stuff looked fine when I tossed it. I
didn't taste anything. There were several cans of beans, some soup and I
can't remember what all else. It was mostly the tomato or tomato containing
things that didn't look right.

We were just having a discussion on a couponing forum that the cans in this
country seem to get dented very easily of late. So there is some
difference. I just don't know what it is.

Ozgirl > wrote:
: I wonder if we have different canning methods here. I often find things
: in the back of the pantry I had forgotten about and have never seen a
: deterioration in canned foods.

Me too!

Wendy

Ozgirl > wrote:


: "W. Baker" > wrote in message
: ...
: > Julie Bove > wrote:
: > : I could be wrong here but I believe you said you either work at a
: > food bank
: > : or have worked at one. If this is true, I have a question. Do they
: > take
: > : expired food? This subject came up on a couponing site where many
: > people
: > : are saying they donate their expired food. But there is one woman
: > there who
: > : works at a food bank and she said they are unable to give it out and
: > have to
: > : just toss it. She said they toss most of the food donated because
: > the cans
: > : are dented or the food is badly expired. Some by as much as years.
: > Yet
: > : there are other people who claim their food bank does take expired
: > food or
: > : that they themselves have gotten expired food from a food bank. I
: > know
: > : there is no universal answer on this and each food bank would be
: > different.
: > : I just would never donate expired food. To me that seems like a
: > mean thing
: > : to do.
: >
: > : Thanks!
: >
: > The food banks I am associated with, both in NYC and Margaretville
: > discard
: > all expired food. I believe that it is the law in NYC. I, myself,
: > have
: > often used slighly outdated food with no harm. Of course, I do
: > examine it
: > to make sure the can and the contents are all OK.


: Are they expired dates or best by dates? Canned food will last for years
: after best by. Packaged or fresh obviously don't. I have received cans
: past best by date from food banks and nothing wrong with them. Pity the
: rules couldn't be bit more lenient especially for canned foods. I was
: given a bunch of stuff when an aunt died and I made buttermilk pancakes
: from a powdered mix in sachets that were 7 years past the expiry date. I
: lived And the quality was great.

It is the date that is usually eithe rstamped on the top or sometimes in
raised letters on the top. I know that I keep my home made jam in jars
that I sterilize for years on occasiona, but , appparantly, the
government is trying to not have the peole at the food banks have to use
an judgement once the date is passed. What I love is the guessy donations
of cans with n paper labels, so you have no idea what is inside:-)

Wendy

"W. Baker" > wrote in message
...
> Ozgirl > wrote:
>
>
> : "W. Baker" > wrote in message
> : ...
> : > Julie Bove > wrote:
> : > : I could be wrong here but I believe you said you either work at
> a
> : > food bank
> : > : or have worked at one. If this is true, I have a question. Do
> they
> : > take
> : > : expired food? This subject came up on a couponing site where
> many
> : > people
> : > : are saying they donate their expired food. But there is one
> woman
> : > there who
> : > : works at a food bank and she said they are unable to give it out
> and
> : > have to
> : > : just toss it. She said they toss most of the food donated
> because
> : > the cans
> : > : are dented or the food is badly expired. Some by as much as
> years.
> : > Yet
> : > : there are other people who claim their food bank does take
> expired
> : > food or
> : > : that they themselves have gotten expired food from a food bank.
> I
> : > know
> : > : there is no universal answer on this and each food bank would be
> : > different.
> : > : I just would never donate expired food. To me that seems like a
> : > mean thing
> : > : to do.
> : >
> : > : Thanks!
> : >
> : > The food banks I am associated with, both in NYC and Margaretville
> : > discard
> : > all expired food. I believe that it is the law in NYC. I,
> myself,
> : > have
> : > often used slighly outdated food with no harm. Of course, I do
> : > examine it
> : > to make sure the can and the contents are all OK.
>
>
> : Are they expired dates or best by dates? Canned food will last for
> years
> : after best by. Packaged or fresh obviously don't. I have received
> cans
> : past best by date from food banks and nothing wrong with them. Pity
> the
> : rules couldn't be bit more lenient especially for canned foods. I
> was
> : given a bunch of stuff when an aunt died and I made buttermilk
> pancakes
> : from a powdered mix in sachets that were 7 years past the expiry
> date. I
> : lived And the quality was great.
>
> It is the date that is usually eithe rstamped on the top or sometimes
> in
> raised letters on the top. I know that I keep my home made jam in
> jars
> that I sterilize for years on occasiona, but , appparantly, the
> government is trying to not have the peole at the food banks have to
> use
> an judgement once the date is passed. What I love is the guessy
> donations
> of cans with n paper labels, so you have no idea what is inside:-)

When I was a teenager a friend's father used to buy unlabelled stuff
very cheap. He wrote down the codes stamped on the bottoms of the can so
when he went to buy them he knew what he was buying.

the whole date thing is to cya of the producer and sellers not to protect
you the consumer... if you know how the food has been handled it can be
eaten without any issues at all.

Lee


"Ozgirl" > wrote in message
...
>
>
> "W. Baker" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Julie Bove > wrote:
>> : I could be wrong here but I believe you said you either work at a food
>> bank
>> : or have worked at one. If this is true, I have a question. Do they
>> take
>> : expired food? This subject came up on a couponing site where many
>> people
>> : are saying they donate their expired food. But there is one woman
>> there who
>> : works at a food bank and she said they are unable to give it out and
>> have to
>> : just toss it. She said they toss most of the food donated because the
>> cans
>> : are dented or the food is badly expired. Some by as much as years. Yet
>> : there are other people who claim their food bank does take expired food
>> or
>> : that they themselves have gotten expired food from a food bank. I know
>> : there is no universal answer on this and each food bank would be
>> different.
>> : I just would never donate expired food. To me that seems like a mean
>> thing
>> : to do.
>>
>> : Thanks!
>>
>> The food banks I am associated with, both in NYC and Margaretville
>> discard
>> all expired food. I believe that it is the law in NYC. I, myself, have
>> often used slighly outdated food with no harm. Of course, I do examine
>> it
>> to make sure the can and the contents are all OK.
>
>
> Are they expired dates or best by dates? Canned food will last for years
> after best by. Packaged or fresh obviously don't. I have received cans
> past best by date from food banks and nothing wrong with them. Pity the
> rules couldn't be bit more lenient especially for canned foods. I was
> given a bunch of stuff when an aunt died and I made buttermilk pancakes
> from a powdered mix in sachets that were 7 years past the expiry date. I
> lived And the quality was great.

"Storrmmee" > wrote in message
...
> the whole date thing is to cya of the producer and sellers not to protect
> you the consumer... if you know how the food has been handled it can be
> eaten without any issues at all.
>
Someone on the couponing group pointed out that you don't necessarily know
how it was handled before it got to you. And that's true!

I learned that the Costco here used to leave their carrots out of
refrigeration for a while. Either that or they were being left
unrefrigerated before they got to the store. They would look fine but would
go slimy right away.

I also learned that the dairy products I was buying at a store in NY were
being left out of refrigeration for hours at a time. I know this because
one day Angela and I were in the store and saw stuff sitting on flatbeds,
not being attended to. We did our shopping very slowly, going up and down
each aisle and taking our time. Two hours later they were still there. So
we went to the Family Dollar in the same shopping center then when we were
done there went back to check the dairy. It was still out. I had been
buying dairy at this store only to eventually discover that it was sour.
Nobody bothered to tell me this. I just know Angela refused to drink milk.
It smelled sour to me but I hate milk. Then my husband told me it was bad.
I had been buying it for months! I then discovered the faulty dairy case
and also noted that during big sales they would put floor stacks of milk and
other things in front of the case.

The same store was caught trying to sell meat that had been left out of
refrigeration for about a week when we had that power outage. And it was
teeming with fruit flies. Alas, it was the closet supermarket to us. After
I discovered how horrid they were I would only buy canned goods there.
There was a little family grocer closer to where we lived. I could count on
them for fresh dairy and meat but their prices were high. So mostly I tried
to buy as much as I could at the commissary in Brooklyn.

Someone many years ago posted either here or at ASD that their store
mishandled diet soda Apparently things with Aspartame go bad quite quickly
when exposed to high heat.

i sell soda as a part of my business, i can tell you the shelf life for
regular is twice as long as nutracrap, and might be for splenda but i
haven't looked at that yet...

if it gets much over eighty f i hesitate to sell it as it can go off and in
a big hurry...Lee


"Julie Bove" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Storrmmee" > wrote in message
> ...
>> the whole date thing is to cya of the producer and sellers not to protect
>> you the consumer... if you know how the food has been handled it can be
>> eaten without any issues at all.
>>
> Someone on the couponing group pointed out that you don't necessarily know
> how it was handled before it got to you. And that's true!
>
> I learned that the Costco here used to leave their carrots out of
> refrigeration for a while. Either that or they were being left
> unrefrigerated before they got to the store. They would look fine but
> would go slimy right away.
>
> I also learned that the dairy products I was buying at a store in NY were
> being left out of refrigeration for hours at a time. I know this because
> one day Angela and I were in the store and saw stuff sitting on flatbeds,
> not being attended to. We did our shopping very slowly, going up and down
> each aisle and taking our time. Two hours later they were still there.
> So we went to the Family Dollar in the same shopping center then when we
> were done there went back to check the dairy. It was still out. I had
> been buying dairy at this store only to eventually discover that it was
> sour. Nobody bothered to tell me this. I just know Angela refused to
> drink milk. It smelled sour to me but I hate milk. Then my husband told
> me it was bad. I had been buying it for months! I then discovered the
> faulty dairy case and also noted that during big sales they would put
> floor stacks of milk and other things in front of the case.
>
> The same store was caught trying to sell meat that had been left out of
> refrigeration for about a week when we had that power outage. And it was
> teeming with fruit flies. Alas, it was the closet supermarket to us.
> After I discovered how horrid they were I would only buy canned goods
> there. There was a little family grocer closer to where we lived. I could
> count on them for fresh dairy and meat but their prices were high. So
> mostly I tried to buy as much as I could at the commissary in Brooklyn.
>
> Someone many years ago posted either here or at ASD that their store
> mishandled diet soda Apparently things with Aspartame go bad quite
> quickly when exposed to high heat.
>

On 5/25/2011 10:57 PM, Julie Bove wrote:
> Someone many years ago posted either here or at ASD that their store
> mishandled diet soda Apparently things with Aspartame go bad quite quickly
> when exposed to high heat.

yup, many years ago i posted about a diet soda i ordered at a restaurant

i don't know WHAT they served me, but it was all i could do to get to
the bathroom and spit out that NASTY taste (undrinkable!)

when we were leaving, i noticed they had a cage outside, south & west
exposure, that they 'stored' all the canned beverages in

guess where the diet pepsi was located?

no wonder they gave so much ice in the glass for the pop! LOL

kate

"W. Baker" > wrote in message
...
> Julie Bove > wrote:
> : I could be wrong here but I believe you said you either work at a food
> bank
> : or have worked at one. If this is true, I have a question. Do they
> take
> : expired food? This subject came up on a couponing site where many
> people
> : are saying they donate their expired food. But there is one woman there
> who
> : works at a food bank and she said they are unable to give it out and
> have to
> : just toss it. She said they toss most of the food donated because the
> cans
> : are dented or the food is badly expired. Some by as much as years. Yet
> : there are other people who claim their food bank does take expired food
> or
> : that they themselves have gotten expired food from a food bank. I know
> : there is no universal answer on this and each food bank would be
> different.
> : I just would never donate expired food. To me that seems like a mean
> thing
> : to do.
>
> : Thanks!
>
> The food banks I am associated with, both in NYC and Margaretville discard
> all expired food. I believe that it is the law in NYC. I, myself, have
> often used slighly outdated food with no harm. Of course, I do examine it
> to make sure the can and the contents are all OK.

Thanks. I pointed out that while I don't normally eat expired food, I do
sometimes eat it at home but that's my call. I would never give expired
food to other people like that. Some people seem to think it is a kind
thing to do. I think otherwise. I'm glad they throw it out.

when the dh and i realised we had some food that got pushed to the back of
the line, we brought everything onto the counter that was close or already
expired, we sorted it to things like gree vegetables canned starches, when
we made a meal we chose from those foods first... again being careful, and
if something was the least suspect it went, however this worked well enough
to get through the food, stopped us from buying and made us much more aware
of what we were purchasing.

Lee
"W. Baker" > wrote in message
...
> Julie Bove > wrote:
> : I could be wrong here but I believe you said you either work at a food
> bank
> : or have worked at one. If this is true, I have a question. Do they
> take
> : expired food? This subject came up on a couponing site where many
> people
> : are saying they donate their expired food. But there is one woman there
> who
> : works at a food bank and she said they are unable to give it out and
> have to
> : just toss it. She said they toss most of the food donated because the
> cans
> : are dented or the food is badly expired. Some by as much as years. Yet
> : there are other people who claim their food bank does take expired food
> or
> : that they themselves have gotten expired food from a food bank. I know
> : there is no universal answer on this and each food bank would be
> different.
> : I just would never donate expired food. To me that seems like a mean
> thing
> : to do.
>
> : Thanks!
>
> The food banks I am associated with, both in NYC and Margaretville discard
> all expired food. I believe that it is the law in NYC. I, myself, have
> often used slighly outdated food with no harm. Of course, I do examine it
> to make sure the can and the contents are all OK.
>
> Wendy

"Storrmmee" > wrote in message
...
> when the dh and i realised we had some food that got pushed to the back of
> the line, we brought everything onto the counter that was close or already
> expired, we sorted it to things like gree vegetables canned starches, when
> we made a meal we chose from those foods first... again being careful, and
> if something was the least suspect it went, however this worked well
> enough to get through the food, stopped us from buying and made us much
> more aware of what we were purchasing.

I pull that stuff out of the cupboard and put it on the counter to use.

it works really well because you also don't buy more food in general and
maybe you don't buy what expired again for quite a while, Lee


"Julie Bove" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Storrmmee" > wrote in message
> ...
>> when the dh and i realised we had some food that got pushed to the back
>> of the line, we brought everything onto the counter that was close or
>> already expired, we sorted it to things like gree vegetables canned
>> starches, when we made a meal we chose from those foods first... again
>> being careful, and if something was the least suspect it went, however
>> this worked well enough to get through the food, stopped us from buying
>> and made us much more aware of what we were purchasing.
>
> I pull that stuff out of the cupboard and put it on the counter to use.
>

"Storrmmee" > wrote in message
...
> it works really well because you also don't buy more food in general and
> maybe you don't buy what expired again for quite a while, Lee

I am trying to keep much closer tabs on the food. I am doing pretty well
for the most part. I do have to throw out some bread and lettuce each week
because I can rarely finish a loaf of bread unless perhaps husband is home
and even then we don't usually. Sometimes I can get a small bag of lettuce
and that's great! But last time all they had was the family size and that
is just too much for the two of us unless we eat a big taco salad, which we
didn't.

The only really bad thing in the last couple of weeks was all the bags of
gluten free pretzels I threw out. They're Snyders and they're really good.
But they do not sell them in any stores around here that I have seen. So I
ordered them from Synders and they only sell them by the case. Well after
the first two bags, Angela didn't touch them at all. They were good for
many months beyond when I bought them but since she never touched them...
Well they got recycled. I have since bought them from celiac.com and can
get them by the bag. But I will only be ordering them when I need something
else.

What really amazes me is the small amount of food that Angela and I eat. We
do go through a lot of black olives, canned green beans, raw baby carrots
and a fair amount of apple slices and applesauce. Also popcorn. I usually
pop my own from some really fresh kernels I get at the health food store.
But sometimes Angela likes the microwave or pre-popped stuff. And we do eat
a fair amount of cottage and other cheeses.

But the other stuff? Not so much! I've gotten it down to where I can
usually cook enough for two. I did make too much Spanish rice the other
day. It worked out okay because she was still sick today and didn't go to
school. We had it for breakfast. And I have now learned that Augmentin is
a form of Amoxicillin and that she is allergic to it and can never have it
again. She got the most interesting looking rash. So now she is on another
med! I am sick of Drs. and hospitals and just wish her ear infection would
get better. She is in soooo much pain! Some sort of really nasty
respiratory thing is going around here and all the kids are getting it. I
guess I got lucky. I didn't get sick.

I made the pasta salad tonight. I made enough for two but the proportions
were off a bit. It's mostly olives and veggies even though I wasn't able to
put in as many of the veggies as I would have liked. For instance each
container has only two radish slices. There is very little pasta. So we
will round out that meal with some apple slices because we need more carbs
than that. Especially Angela because she will be dancing tomorrow.
Assuming she gets well enough to dance. She may just be sitting out for the
most part but I have to be there to get the recital information for the
remaining two classes.

Now the big trick will be to buy just enough food for my husband when he
comes home on Fri. I have been trying to buy him only shelf stable milk
because I don't drink milk at all and Angela rarely has it. She does have
rice milk once in a while but really not much of that either. At least we
have discovered Winco foods. They have all sorts of things that he will eat
and their prices are cheap! Angela actually loves to shop there. She found
a very nice and inexpensive perch for the cats and they have a HUGE bulk
candy section. Now if she wants something like Andes mints, she can buy
just a few and not have to get the whole box. They also carry Shasta sodas
and she loves the diet cream soda.