Have You Checked Your Pantry Lately?

I go through mine at least once a month.

Some things have an expiration date and doesn't necessarily expire on or even near that date though.

I really try to go through my pantry and clean it out every couple of months. I reorganize it and everything...I also try to use a lot of what I have on hand...so I don't think I've ever found that - but I also don't bake from scratch - no time!

I can see where those items would expire but I swear when I was growing up canned vegetables and soups did not have expiration dates. I thought that was the whole idea behind the canning process was to preserve the food for years to come. While I'm not quite sure how that could be (preserving for years) it just makes me wonder if companies use expiration dates to cover their butts or does the food truly breakdown over time.

I did discover bugs in pasta after the expiration date but then I wonderif they were there before the expiration date?

To make matters worse I was perplexed this morning what the heck must be in the bread/English muffins that have been sitting in my drawer for WEEKS and still show no signs of mold. And yes sadly I ate it...even though I shouldn't have taken the 'no mold' as a green light to eat it.

So I don't know whether to ignore or acknowledge those expiration dates (except for in the case of your example, baking powder).

i do try to go thru my cupboards once a year.. and it's right about now. our church and school do a food drive. so for me it's a great time to clean out the expired to the garbage and the close to being expired to the food pantry. and then there is room to stock up again for next year's cleaning!!

Nope, you are not a terrible homemaker!!

Yes, I know that baking powder and soda expire as does yeast.

I asked about spices a week or two ago - I've had some of mine since we moved here - 15 years...yikes!!! They do lose their potency.

The expired baking soda? Don't throw it out - you can use it for emergencies - like a stove/grease fire - expired or not - it will still help smother the fire and won't make it spread like water would.

About two weeks ago, I found in my pantry a box of Hamburger Helper that had expired in 2006! I usually rotate my stock of boxed and canned food! Obviously I missed it!! YIKES!!!

Check your spices some time. You'd be amazed at how many you've probably bought five or more years ago. And they expire too, but most don't have dates on them. They just lose their flavor over a year or two.

I'm sure I would find the same thing if I looked! Funny!

Luckily im constantly getting new baking soda and powder because i use it to clean and deodorize.

I could totally see myself making that mistake otherwise.

Just this week I pulled out 2 cans of soup that had expired in 2009.

I actually recently did this! I found Lipton chicken noodle and onion soup packs that were a few years out of date...some canned things too like sweet potatoes (probably from 5 Thanksgivings ago?? Shoved to the back!). replaced all my baking powder, soda, some cornstarch and tossed a bunch of spices that were REALLY out of date...like 1999! OMG!

I also use a premade powdered instant tea to make an old family recipe called Russian tea (yum..but is about pure sugar! LOL Tang, Lemonade, Instant tea, sugar, cinnamon and cloves) and was looking for any ingredients in the bottom-hard-to-get-to shelf...sure enough..had some. But it expired 2 years ago. Crud! And I only need like 2 cups of it, but you have to buy this huge jar! This is why I always have old leftovers!

Don't feel too bad. We have to double and triple check everything we eat at my MIL's house. Her and my hubby's grandmother (they live together) are both under the impression that putting something in the freezer makes it last eternally. We have had serious discussions about simply "eating around freezer burn" and played "name the mystery substance in the bag" more than once! I love those ladies, but it drives me crazy! At least your mistake was accidental.

I think we found some 2005 cans...did not eat them.

yes, I am guilty of having "expired" cake mixes in my pantry. They don't rise correctly due to the baking soda/baking powder concept you specifically brought up, so I do toss them after a while.

That explains a lot!!! I was wondering what my problem was. I never even thought about it but I know I've had my baking soda for several years now...OOPS! Thanks for the reminder!

@BD - yeah they did have dates on them, it was all in code! Different letters and numbers stood for different months, days, years!! Bet there are some things that still use this coding!

Mom also writes on her stuff when she bought it - even w/a readable date -- sometimes stuff isn't too good time-wise on the shelf!

And yep - I've had expired stuff, too - just did a major pantry cleanup due to pantry moths ... sure wish I knew what they came in here in ... ugh!

I had some microwaveable pantry meals my husband swore up and down he was going to take to work. I finally threw them away last week. They had made TWO military moves with us, so......10 years past date?!? Yeah....GROSS!

Long ago I started cleaning out the pantry before the moves. So we wouldn't be overweight, I gave away a lot, then used the TMO check from the military to restock my pantry.
I have had moms give me foods that were way overdue.

If I have overdue baking soda I use it for cleaning.

I love that most items have expiration dates. My late stepfather used to write, in marker, the date he bought the canned good.... I didn't know there were dates on them now; we usually use them up or donate what sits around.

No, you're not terrible! lol. I bought some yeast & bread machine flour over a year ago & I'm going to have to toss it -- mad at myself!