THE country is going on a blind date, with supermarkets slashing their “best before” dates in a bid to reduce food waste.
Asda is the latest store to remove it from fresh products as we ditch 4.5million tonnes of grub each year, with much of it is perfectly edible.
Woman smelling jam in front of fridge full of groceries. Picture taken from the inside of fridge.[/caption]
So how long does food really last?
Here, Josh Saunders reveals the real countdown clock on your everyday items and shares top tips to tell if it’s gone off.
Dairy
You can tell butter is off if it takes on a pale appearance, stale smell and mold[/caption]
BUTTER
Fridge: 2 weeks.
Freezer: 6-9 months
Is it off? Pale appearance, stale smell and mold.
EGGS
Fridge: 3-4 weeks
Is it off? Sulphur smell and egg white goes clear or pink.
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HARD CHEESE
Fridge: 3-6 weeks
Freezer: 6-8 months
Is it off? Dark colouring, mold and stronger smell.
YOGHURT
Fridge: 1 week
Freezer: 1 month
Is it off? Watery at top, curdled at bottom, and mold.
Fruit & veg
Avocado will keep for up to 10 days in the fridge, or 4 days outside it[/caption]
APPLES
Cupboard: 2-4 weeks
Fridge: 1-2 months
Is it off? Wrinkly, discolouration, bruising and mold.
AVOCADO
Cupboard: 3-4 days
Fridge: 7-10 days
Is it off? Brown or black fruit.
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BROCCOLI
Fridge (Uncooked ): 7-14 days
Fridge (cooked): 7-9 days
Is it off? Turns yellow, limp. bad smell.
CARROTS
Fridge: 4-5 weeks
Is it off? Mushy/slimy texture.
Baked
You can store bread in the freezer for around 6 months[/caption]
BREAD
Cupboard: 5-7 days, Freezer: 6 months
Is it off? Moldy growths.
CEREAL
Unopened: 6 months, Opened: 4 months
Is it off? No crackling sound when it’s broken in half.
DRY PASTA
Cupboard: 1-2 years
Is it off? Dull appearance or slimyness.
FROZEN PIZZA
Fridge: 3-5 days
Freezer: 4-6 months
Is it off? Hard and dry texture, foul taste or mold.
Beverages
White win will keep in the cupboard for up to 2 years, and is only off when it takes on a sour or vinegary taste[/caption]
BEER
Cupboard: 6-9 months
Fridge: 6 months – 2 years
Is it off? No hissing sound on opening, or foam rising.
INSTANT COFFEE
Cupboard: 2-20 years
Freezer: Indefinite
TEA
Cupboard: 6-12 months
Fridge: 1-2 years
WINES
Red (cupboard): 2-3 years, Fridge (opened): 1-2 weeks
White (cupboard:) 1-2 years
Fridge (opened): 1-3 days
Is it off? Sour/ vinegary taste.
Meat & fish
Salmon will keep for up to 9 months in the freezer, or around 2 days in the fridge[/caption]
Fridge (unopened): 1-2 weeks
Freezer (unopened): 6-8 months
Is it off? Grey, slimy flesh/sour smell.
CHICKEN
Fridge (uncooked): 1-2 days
Freezer (uncooked ): 1 year
Is it off? Dull, slimy flesh and smell.
SAUSAGES
Fridge: 1-2 days
Frozen: 6-8 months
Is it off? Grey/sour scent.
SALMON & COD
Fridge: 1-2 days
Freezer: 6-9 months
Is it off? Slimy flesh and sour smell.
Other
You can tell a jam is off if it is watery on top and firm below, unpleasant smell or mold.[/caption]
CHOCOLATE
Cupboard: 2-4 months
Fridge: 4-6 months
Is it off? White patches on edges.
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Cupboard: 6-12 months
Opened – fridge: 1 year
Is it off? Watery on top and firm below, unpleasant smell or mold.
Cupboard (unopened): 1-2 years
Fridge (opened): 1 years
Is it off? Watery and thicker in parts, dark maroon colour and bad taste.
