Household Products: To Toss or Not

Expiration Dates

By Gabrielle Linzer and Christina Parrella.

Are you gonna eat that?

Condiments

That ketchup has been sitting in your fridge for quite a few months, but who's counting? You should. After six months, replace the open bottle of ketchup in your refrigerator, according to a ConAgra Foods spokesperson. The same goes for unopened bottles lounging in the pantry any longer than 21 months. You'll have to toss your open mayonnaise even sooner. Once you crack the lid, this creamy condiment goes bad in two to three months. However, sealed mayonnaise has "high acid ingredients that protect the food from the growth of harmful bacteria," according to a spokesperson for Hellmann's. The expiration date of mustard really depends on what it's packaged in, whether it's refrigerated or not. According to a spokesperson for French's, the mustard will last for two years if housed in a glass jar. Squeeze bottles will keep mustard fresh for 18 months and packets conserve it for only six months.


Meat and Fish

Freezing can extend the shelf life of meats, but they still won't last forever. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, fresh fish, chicken, veal, pork, lamb, turkey and hamburger meat perish after one to two days in the refrigerator. Ham, steak, opened lunch meats, chops and roasts survive a bit longer, at three to five days in the refrigerator. Unopened lunch meats can last up to two weeks in the fridge. Once frozen, veal, pork, lamb, turkey and hamburger have an extended lifespan of three to four months. Ham and lunch meats (opened and unopened) are eatable after being frozen for one to two months. A whole fresh chicken is good for a year once frozen, and chicken pieces are edible for up to nine months. Lean fish is good for six months in the freezer and steak will last for a whopping six to twelve months.


Dairy

You're on top of you're milk and yogurt's expiration dates, but be honest. Don't you sometimes think there's a certain grace period past that date? No. To avoid any sour tastes or possible sickness, the National Dairy Council recommends refrigerating milk at 40 degrees or lower as soon as possible. Condensed and evaporated milk is safe to drink for up to one year, while plain old milk will last for about two weeks in the fridge. Unopened containers of cheese can last for three months, but if they are opened, they must be properly sealed in order to prevent from drying out or growing mold. Yogurt will last for about a week until it loses its optimal taste.


Fresh Fruits and Vegetables

Essential to a healthy diets, fruits and veggies are also delicious in season. If stored properly, these gifts from the earth won't have to be ditched after only a few days. For example, while apples have a shelf life of only one to two days, in the refrigerator, they'll remain fresh for three weeks, according to the Food Marketing Institute. Similarly, tomatoes will only last two to three days in the refrigerator, but can be used for up to two months if frozen. While it's always better to eat all fresh foods as soon as possible, carrots, cauliflower, celery, onions, pineapple and turnips can last 10 to 12 months when frozen. On the other hand, apricots, avocados and citrus fruits cannot be frozen, and therefore must be eaten within the days that they are ripe.


Frozen Foods

If you keep a few frozen dinners lying around for who knows how long, you may want to confirm that your back-up meals are still edible. TV dinners and casseroles will last in the freezer for three to four months, according to the FDA Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition. Frozen vegetables will last a mere three to four days in the refrigerator, but can endure eight months in the freezer. Your favorite frozen treats, like ice cream, are good for up to eight months. As if it'll last that long!


Dried Pasta, Rice and Canned Pantry Foods

Dried products like rice and pasta are good forever, right? Not exactly. According to the Clemson Extension Home and Garden Information Center, rice and pasta have longevity of one year and brown rice expires after only six months. Canned meats and vegetables that have been collecting dust for more than two to five years should be tossed, along with canned fruits, juices, tomatoes or pickles that have been around for 12-18 months. Your corn flakes will grow stale in two to three months unopened, but can stay fresh for up to a year when they remain sealed.


Flour, Spices and Other Baking Goods

Ground spices and herbs boast a lifespan of two to three years unopened and whole spices can be kept around for four to five years. If you're cooking with flour older than 10 to 15 months, you may want to make a trip back to the grocery store. Baking powder and baking soda won't help leaven anything after 12-18 months, deeming them useless, according to the University of Georgia College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences.


Pain Relievers

These little pills are relief in a bottle for headaches, muscle pain, arthritis and more. No matter if it's aspirin, ibuprofen or acetaminophen, all medications should be kept tightly closed in the container it came in and stored at room temperature, far away from excess heat and moisture. That means, not in the bathroom, according to the U.S. National Library of Medicine. Keep a close eye on all expiration labels and throw away any medication that is outdated. Oftentimes, the tablets will have a strong vinegar smell. "From a quality and safety perspective we advise all consumers to not use drugs beyond their expiration date," says FDA spokeswoman Crystal Rice.

Cough and Cold Medicine Like pain relievers, cough and cold medicine should be kept in its original container, closed tightly and stored at room temperature. Liquid cough medicine may retain freshness for six months past its expiration date, but don't use it if it has changed color and has a strange odor. The FDA recommends trashing any expired medicine because it may change over time and become ineffective. Rice explains: "Drugs used beyond their expiration date are of questionable quality because age affects products and a breakdown of the product resulting in a loss of potency may occur over time." Simply put, using expired medicine is useless.