Do you know how to tell when certain foods have gone bad in the fridge?
Sure, the sell-by date is there to serve as a guideline, but so many foods can last far beyond that. In certain circumstances, some may even turn before that date if not stored properly.
That's why it's always safest and more thrifty to trust your senses when deciding whether or not you should throw away the food in your fridge. Some foods are trickier than others, but we've put together a list of 10 very common foods for your convenience.
Each day in the United States, we throw away a ghastly and unnecessary 263 million pounds of food — every day! With so many people going hungry across the globe, this number is really difficult to face.
Do you blindly follow the sell-by date on the food in your fridge? It's important not to eat spoiled food, but it's also important not to waste it. If you are unsure and the item is not on this list, do a minute or two of research to see what the shelf life normally is, then find out what the signs of spoilage are.
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Left Thumbnail Photo: Flickr / Rebecca Partington
1. Yogurt
By its very nature, yogurt is already pretty old. However, it will last beyond its expiration date in most cases. If you notice more liquid pooling than usual, your yogurt is beginning to spoil.
When you see clotting or clumping in the texture, that's a sign that you should probably throw it away. According to Eat by Date, when you see mold, that's the bottom line. It's time for the trash!
2. Cheese
Cheese is tricky, because it too is often old and moldy at its best. A good first indicator is if it begins to smell like sour milk. Always make sure to get a whiff of your cheese when you first purchase it to see what it's supposed to smell like.
If it gets moldy, that's not necessarily bad, as cheese often has mold already. Hard cheeses can be salvaged if you cut off 1/4 inch or more from the moldy portion to see that it hasn't permeated the rest of the cheese.
Softer cheeses need to be thrown away entirely if you spot mold, as they are more porous, according to Bottle King's Vineyard.
3. Fish
Fish should always be eaten within 36 hours of purchasing it.
However, if it starts to look extra slimy or milky before that window of time has closed, you should toss it.
4. Olive Oil
According to Mother Nature Network, olive oil, especially extra virgin, can go rancid. If you smell a certain sweetness when you give it a good whiff, your oil may have spoiled.
If you're unsure, you can bring the oil to room temperature and swish about a tablespoon of it around in your mouth. If that olive-y flavor is gone, it's definitely rancid, and you should toss it out.
5. Kale And Other Deep Greens
You will begin to smell a foul scent pretty quickly when greens go bad, but they will also begin to turn an icky shade of yellow.
To prevent early spoiling, keep items of this nature in your fridge unwashed and in their whole form until you are ready to use them, according to Wonder How To.
6. Hummus
Unless you've added a ton of extra lemon to your hummus, it shouldn't taste or smell sour.
If it smells sour, cut your losses and toss it out unless you want to risk food poisoning! Usually, hummus will last about 3 to 10 days, but don't push that window if you start to smell that sour scent.
7. Deli Meat
Deli meat can be tricky, because it sometimes already has a slightly moist texture. However, a film of slime on your meats, or a stickiness on the surface, tells you to throw it away immediately.
Different deli meats have different shelf lives spanning from a few days to a few weeks, but you should always double check on the texture.
8. Jam
Different kinds of jams and spreads will last anywhere from a few weeks to about a year, but there are ways to tell if it's gone bad other than by looking at the sell-by date.
If liquid begins to pool on the top, the jam gets thicker, or if the taste begins to turn more to the tart side, your jam is going rancid. Once you spy the first speck of mold, that's the final straw: you have to throw the whole jar out.
9. Larger Cuts Of Meat
According to the USDA, a color change in your uncooked meat does not necessarily mean that it has gone bad.
It's when it starts to feel slimy, smells off, or feels sticky or tacky that you need to cut your losses and dispose of the meat.
10. Butter
Butter is one of those things that can get lost in the fridge and forgotten. It will last about a month after the sell-by date if unopened and stored properly.
However, if you notice it looking paler than it should be, it's a sign that it has taken a turn. It may also be either too hard or too soft, and very difficult to spread. If you've gone so far as to taste it and it reminds you of cheese or seems stale, toss it!
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