15 Foods That Can Last Past Their Expiration Date

 You spend a lot of money each week on grocery shopping and stocking up on all of the food you and your family need for the week, so the last thing you want to do is place expired food in the garbage or kitchen compost. The good news is some food can actually outlast their expiration date.

According to the USDA, many dates on foods refer to quality, not safety—but it is important to always use your best judgment. If food looks, smells, or tastes funny, it’s best to toss it and not risk eating something that is spoiled. If you are curious about which foods can go the distance, here are 15 foods that can last long past their expiration date.

Bread

Bread will generally become stale past its expiration date, but it is still safe to eat. If you want to extend the life of your bread even longer, store it in the fridge or freezer. If you spot any bits of mold, toss it.

Canned Goods

Most shelf-stable foods in your kitchen cabinets or pantry are safe indefinitely. As explained by the USDA, canned goods will last for years as long as they remain in good condition. That means no dents, rust, or swelling.

Chocolate

Chocolate connoisseur? You’re in luck, because chocolate is safe to eat for about two years if it is left unopened. Once open, dark, milk and white chocolate are all safe to eat within one year of purchase.

Eggs

Once you get eggs home and in the fridge, they’ll keep for 3-5 weeks, says the USDA. The sell-by date will usually expire during that length of time, but the eggs will be perfectly safe to eat and use in recipes

Frozen Foods

According to the USDA, food poisoning bacteria does not grow in the freezer, so no matter how long a food has been frozen, it is safe to eat. However, food that has been stored in the freezer for an extended period of time may lose its quality, meaning it may be dry and may not taste as good as newly frozen food. If you find a package of food, like ground beef, that has been in the freezer for a while, it’s safe, but you may want to channel your culinary creativity and use it in a dish like chili, stew, or tacos. The additional ingredients and seasonings will make up for the loss of flavor.]

Hard Cheeses and Semi-Soft Cheeses

Hard cheeses and semi-soft cheese like Cheddar, Colby, Parmesan, and Swiss can last six months unopened in your fridge and usually about one month after opening. According to Mayo Clinic, mold generally cannot penetrate far into hard and semi-soft cheeses, but if it does, you can simply cut it off with a knife and enjoy the rest of that block of beloved cheese.

Honey

Sweet tooth? You will be happy to hear honey never expires, but it is best to use it within two years to ensure the best quality.

Jams and Jellies

If peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are totally your “jam” then be excited because jams and jellies can last up to one year in the pantry if they remain unopened and six months in the fridge once opened.

Ketchup

Ketchup is probably the most popular condiment in the kitchen, so yours may not actually last the full year it stays good for! That timeframe is for unopened ketchup in the pantry; once opened, store in the fridge and consume within six months

Marinara Sauce

Marinara sauce is extremely acidic and this acidity helps to protect the tomato sauce from harboring spoiling bacteria, which ultimately extends the length of your marinara sauce for months after its expiration date and even for weeks after you open a jar. A good rule of thumb is to use an unopened jar of marinara sauce within one year of its expiration date.

Milk

While there are no set recommendations, most research suggests that as long as milk has been stored properly, unopened milk generally stays good for 5–7 days past its listed date, while opened milk lasts at least 2–3 days past this date

Packaged Foods

Popular packaged foods like cereals, cookies, crackers, granolas, pasta, potato chips, and rice will be safe to eat after their “best by date,” notes the USDA. However, they will eventually become stale or develop an off-flavor that does not taste as fresh as a new box. You will know if the food has lost its quality when you open the package and sample a small taste.

Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is a pantry staple and for good reason—it lasts practically forever. Due to the addition of preservatives and stabilizers, commercial peanut butter may last 6-24 months in the pantry if left unopened, or 2-3 months once opened. Placing it in the fridge can extend its shelf life beyond this. However, natural peanut butter—without the use of additives, preservatives, and stabilizers—can last for several months in the pantry unopened, or up to a month once opened.

Sugar

Sugar never technically expires. However, for the best quality, you will want to use that giant baker’s bag of sugar within two years, says Utah State University.

Yogurt

Generally, yogurt may be good for up to 1-2 weeks after its expiration date. However, the date you are reading on the yogurt container probably is not an expiration date, but a “Best If Used By/Before” or “Use-By” date, so if your cup of yogurt is past that, give it the good sniff test and maybe even a small taste before enjoying a bowl.