Should it stay or go?
AVOID WASTE | How to extend shelf life and get the most out of food you buy
Most of the food that's wasted in the United States occurs right at home in our kitchens. Why do we throw so much away? One explanation is confusion. We're not throwing things out because we want to, but rather because we're uncertain about how long food lasts and when it's safe to eat.
''Best by July 6, 2008.'' On July 7, should you throw it out?
(Jean Lachat/Sun-Times)
There's a bit of blue mold on the edge of that expensive aged cheddar cheese. Does the whole thing go in the trash?
With growing concern about the amount of food that Americans are wasting at a time of soaring food prices, it's critical to know how to extend the shelf life of as much of your food as possible. Fridge and freezer storage mostly addresses the question of when to eat food so that it will still taste good, so that's the focus of these recommendations, with a little food safety thrown in.
Note, however, that how long your food lasts and how good it tastes depend upon a number of conditions that vary widely from person to person and situation to situation.
Another thing to keep in mind: Food bought locally will almost always last longer and taste fresher than food bought from a grocery store because it has traveled fewer miles over less time.
When you're grocery shopping, look for food with an expiration date as distant as possible. Expiration dates are most often ''sell by'' or ''best by'' dates rather than ''don't use after'' dates. They ensure quality rather than safety, partly because when food goes bad it often has a lot more to do with how it's handled once you take it home and when you open the package rather than when the food was picked or processed.
Moreover, food that tastes bad -- even food that tastes rancid (like sour milk) -- often isn't dangerous. Surprisingly, most of the time dangerous food (for example, spinach contaminated with E. coli, which can cause sometimes lethal intestinal problems) smells, looks and tastes perfectly fine.
Still, when it comes to quality, use your eyes and nose. Most people know that the best way to judge the ripeness of cantaloupe is to smell it. That technique works with other fruits as well. When buying stone fruits like peaches, plums and nectarines, smell them. Even if they're not yet ripe, they should have a distinctive, delicious aroma. If not, they were picked too early and may not ripen at all.
If an item doesn't have an expiration date or obviously deteriorates in quality, such as soups, casseroles or frozen meat, label it with masking tape and the date by which you want to use it.
Finally, what about that pesky mold? If the mold is black, throw it out. If it's blue, green or white, cut (or scoop) it out down to about an inch away from the moldy area. If a piece of fruit in a bowl or container is moldy, throw it away as soon as possible, and clean or switch the container to prevent the mold from spreading.
These guidelines aren't just relevant when you're cleaning out your fridge. Consider them when shopping and cooking so that less food winds up in the garbage.
Scripps Howard News Service