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SoCalDem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 04:44 PM
Original message
Milk expiration dates are a LIE..
I don;t know why they even bother putting them on the cartons. I have NEVER had milk still be "ok" on the expiration date.. same with cottage cheese.. I have a brand spanking new refrig, and even with my older ones, I have always had the temp set plenty low enough..

minor peeve, but now I have to battle the grocery store on a Friday to get milk ..:grr:
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Ariana Celeste Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 04:46 PM
Response to Original message
1. I never trust milk more than 3 days.
Maybe that's just me. But I am always so freaked about it after a couple days, sometimes on the 3rd day I'm a bit iffy.
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Jamastiene Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 04:49 PM
Response to Original message
2. I've noticed that too.
It usually goes bad about 2 or 3 days before that date.

On a lighter note, have you noticed that they put expiration dates on sour cream? Yet, it's already sour.
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Rabrrrrrr Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 04:51 PM
Response to Original message
3. Wow - I've always had milk last longer than the expiration date
I have thought of the dates as a scam to get people to throw their milk out too early so that they will buy more.

:shrug:
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billyskank Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 04:54 PM
Response to Reply #3
4. Me too
I've had milk last ridiculous lengths of time. Right now I'm drinking milk from last saturday.
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ScreamingMeemie Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 05:29 PM
Response to Reply #3
14. Me too...I've had milk last a week past. It only spoils when the lazies
that I live with leave it on the kitchen table. :hi:
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SoCalDem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 05:31 PM
Response to Reply #14
15. When my sons were young, we had people break into our house
and just leave a gallon of milk on the table all day.. They never stole anything, and they even locked up when they left, but MY boys would NEVER leave the milk out, or so they said, so it MUST have been the "Leche Bandito" sneaking in and spoiling the milk :)
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0007 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 08:18 PM
Response to Reply #14
32. ....like my son and daughter use to drink straight from the container
leaving their bacteria to spread.
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NewJeffCT Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-31-05 11:39 AM
Response to Reply #3
55. me, too
And, i usually start with the sniff test a day before the expiration date... and, usually even a few days after the exp. date, it still smells fine to me.
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0007 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 04:55 PM
Response to Original message
5. Why do they even bother to put a date on sour cream?
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baldguy Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 05:02 PM
Response to Reply #5
7. It may be sour
But if it gets too old it can get cranky.
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0007 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 08:14 PM
Response to Reply #7
29. Mold will tell ya that!
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Rabrrrrrr Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 05:07 PM
Response to Reply #5
9. And how do you know when blue cheese has gone bad?
:7
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0007 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 08:15 PM
Response to Reply #9
30. ....on the way to the hospital.
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Orangepeel Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 04:55 PM
Response to Original message
6. the get it to the store right before it is about to expire
That's my pet peeve. Products that don't have the turnover of regular milk flavored milk, organic stuff, half and half, etc. have much longer shelf lives. I don't believe it is because regular milk doesn't last as long.
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LSdemocrat Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 05:06 PM
Response to Original message
8. My milk is often fine on the expiration date
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Lars39 Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 05:08 PM
Response to Original message
10. I've never tried this,
but I've heard that putting just a little bit of baking soda in a newly opened container of milk helps it stay fresh longer.
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NeoConsSuck Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 05:22 PM
Response to Original message
11. Depends on the season..
I've noticed milk in the summer doesn't make it to the expiry date. I think during shipping it spends too much time in the heat (loading, unloading etc)

In the winter, my milk seems to make it to the expiry date.
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SoCalDem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 05:25 PM
Response to Reply #11
12. I wish I could get a pint of whole milk delivered
every other day.. We don't drink milk, but I use it for cooking sometimes, and I just hate having to go to the store to buy it ..
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ChoralScholar Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 05:28 PM
Response to Original message
13. I tell my wife
"There's no calendar in the refrigerator, so it doesn't matter about the date. Smell of it, will ya?"

Sometimes, I'll tease:

"Hear that?"

"What?"

"I think I hear the milk going bad. Today's the expiration date, right?"

<dodges shoe>

Anyway, in my experience it stays quite good until a day or two after. Then it starts to get 'blinky'
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skygazer Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 05:31 PM
Response to Original message
16. The problem usually lies in a break in the cold cycle
If the product is out of the cooler for even a short length of time, it makes a big difference in how long it lasts. So if you have a long drive home, or if you get your milk first then finish the rest of your shopping, it's going to make a difference. Same with produce. And of course, you never know how well the shipping and receiving has worked at the store - if you're consistently having a problem, I'd suggest using another store - your usual place may be careless about refrigeration. (I work grocery)
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Skittles Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 05:32 PM
Response to Original message
17. that date is the date they can no longer SELL it
it's fine for days afterewards though, to drink
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SoCalDem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 05:52 PM
Response to Reply #17
20. That's what I always thought too, BUT the milk I just poured out
Edited on Fri Dec-30-05 05:52 PM by SoCalDem
had an expiration date of Jan2, and it was smell-eeee.. Of course, like an idiot I bought a half-gallon instead of a quart, so I ended up wasting all but about 3 cups that we used for twice baked potatoes and some ceral the other day for my husband..

It's not the money..it's the hassle factor of going to the damned store to buy it :grr:.. I am a hermit..:)
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Skittles Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 05:57 PM
Response to Reply #20
21. I can't stand the taste of milk
I get my calcium from other sources. :D
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SoCalDem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 05:58 PM
Response to Reply #21
22. I can only stand it with HOT brownies..and then only a juice-sized glass
But I do use it for cooking sometimes..
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Rabrrrrrr Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 06:33 PM
Response to Reply #20
25. Either you have a super sensitive nose, or your fridge temp
is wrong, or you don't know what spoiled milk should smell like and so dump it too early, or someone is leaving your milk out without you noticing it so that it goes bad so quickly.

It's hard to believe that you have that much milk going bad that quickly without something wrong somewhere in the system.

Try putting your milk in thge very back of the fridge. If you are keeping it in the door, that could be part of the problem.

And if all you really use it for is baking, buy Half & Half instead - it will last longer, and almost any recipe calling for milk can take Half & Half instead. Plus, it tastes better!
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SoCalDem Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 06:34 PM
Response to Reply #25
26. Great idea.. I always forget about half & half..
Could it be diluted for drinking, or would it taste icky?
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Rabrrrrrr Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 06:45 PM
Response to Reply #26
27. Hmmm... for drinking, I'd suggest you make hot chocolate
You could probably just add water to it, and make something closer to milk - as far as I know, all Half & Half is, is milk with some of the water taken out.

You can always give it a try!

But straight Half & Half makes an excellent hot chocolate. :-)
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Ediacara Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 10:50 PM
Response to Reply #20
43. When did you buy it?
What type of milk, what type of container (paper or plastic), where is it in your fridge, and do you have a lot of stuff on your top shelf?
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Left Is Write Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 05:34 PM
Response to Original message
18. Milk rarely lasts long around here because it gets used up fast, but...
I have had milk last past its expiration date many times (it's supposed to be good for up to seven days past the date).
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Nikia Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 05:45 PM
Response to Original message
19. It is good past that date if you don't open it
Once you break the seal, it's spoilage rate increases.
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MissMillie Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 06:16 PM
Response to Original message
23. those are not expiration dates
they're "sell by" dates. If you buy a carton of milk on the 1st and it has a "sell by" date of the 10th, and you DON'T OPEN the carton, the milk will still be good on the 10th.

Once you've opened the carton, however, all bets are off. Drink it within 3 days.
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Deja Q Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 06:28 PM
Response to Original message
24. If it's been treated with rbgh and rbst, it lasts half as long as the date
Organic lasts the longest.

But smell the milk. If you don't retch, it's good! If you do retch, it's bad.
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yellowdogintexas Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-31-05 11:20 AM
Response to Reply #24
48. or you can pour a bit into some hot coffee, if it curdles, give it
to the cat..or dump it down the drain.
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donheld Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 06:55 PM
Response to Original message
28. My milk usually is good for a few days after
the date on the container.
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GirlinContempt Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 08:16 PM
Response to Original message
31. I never have that problem
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Burma Jones Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 08:23 PM
Response to Original message
33. I believe that the higher the fat content, the longer milk lasts
That's what I believe, I know it's a shallow belief system, but I've never felt obliged to torture anyone else to believe the same thing about Milk as I do. Nor do I think if you believe low fat milk to last longer, you are my mortal enemy and deserve death followed by an eternity of torture.
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yellowdogintexas Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-31-05 11:16 AM
Response to Reply #33
47. you are on to something. I have found that cream will keep
longer, and so will half & half.

Also, I have definitely found a difference in longevity from brand to brand.

Braum's Dairy (local chain of burger/ice cream/dairy stores in Okla and Texas) has milk that keeps really well.

Kroger house brand however does NOT keep 30 seconds past the exp date. Organic milk also does not keep as well.

Albertson's house brand milk keeps longer than Kroger.

Also, if you need to have a gallon of milk, it will keep better if you buy two 1/2 gallon jugs rather than 1 gallon jug. The second, unopened jug is less likely to spoil than the open, unused gallon jug. Strange but true.
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EstimatedProphet Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 08:25 PM
Response to Original message
34. Maybe your refrigerator is still too high
I never have a problem with the expiration date
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Telly Savalas Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-31-05 12:42 AM
Response to Reply #34
45. Man, it's time for bed.
Your post gave me the mental image of a cartoon fridge with a face on the front and arms on the side taking a bong hit.
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EstimatedProphet Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-31-05 12:43 AM
Response to Reply #45
46. Sweet!
I didn't think of it that way until you mentioned it...
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bettyellen Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 08:42 PM
Response to Original message
35.  NYC milk has to be dumped 4 days earlier than (the same) NJ milk !!!
which i find really strange, but it's right there, both dates, on every carton i get just 5 minutes from Manhattan. :shrug:
i find the clear plastic goes off quicker than the paper cartons, and they are both worse the hotter the weather is.
but 4 days difference- i think that's a lot!
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robbedvoter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 09:44 PM
Response to Reply #35
37. And still, sometimes it goes bad before the NYC date!
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Vidar Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 09:04 PM
Response to Original message
36. Mine keeps 2 weeks in the winter.
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spacelady Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 10:36 PM
Response to Original message
38. I think milk that has been opened will spoil in direct proportion to the
Edited on Fri Dec-30-05 10:36 PM by spacelady
amount of empty space in the container. More air = earlier spoilage.
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ScreamingMeemie Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 10:36 PM
Response to Reply #38
39. Hmmm. I never thought of it like that. I need to drink less milk then.
;) :hi:
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spacelady Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 10:40 PM
Response to Reply #39
40. I am not a plain milk fan. Can you think of any other animal besides
humans, domesticated cats and some dogs that drink milk beyond infancy/weaning? Hmmmm.
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ScreamingMeemie Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 10:55 PM
Response to Reply #40
44. Drinking less milk for me would be putting the milk back in the cow.
I'm agreed with you on that..although I am a cheese addict...the milk thing always feels a little, wrong. :hi:
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yellowdogintexas Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-31-05 11:25 AM
Response to Reply #38
50. that goes along with my theory of two 1/2 gallon containers
vs 1 whole gallon container.

Makes sense.


Also the Keeping It Cold All the Time Theory: definitely true. I believe that is why the Braum's milk always keeps longest and tastes freshest.

It is their dairy, their cows, their packaging and prep plant, their trucks and their stores.

Oh Yeah, their burgers and ice cream are good too.

When my husband wants to make homemade ice cream we always go to Braums for the stuff because it is always the freshest.
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Ediacara Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 10:45 PM
Response to Original message
41. Milk can actually last more than a week past it's sell-by date
There are a lot of circumstances though that screw with it, such as: temperature of the delivery truck, temperature of the grocery store's milk cooler, temperature of your fridge, location of the milk in your fridge, how long you've had the milk open, type of pasteurization, and plus a lot of others I can't really think of. Additionally, if your milk's container is leaking in any way, it'll speed souring a lot.
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bliss_eternal Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Fri Dec-30-05 10:48 PM
Response to Original message
42. ...eggs too.
All lies! I feel your pain!
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yellowdogintexas Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-31-05 11:22 AM
Response to Reply #42
49. eggs keep a LONG time, especially if you are just going to
bake with them. If I have eggs that I have had for a long time, I won't cook them for breakfast, but will put them in a cake. Always break them into a separate dish and sniff them however, just in case they sneaked off and got bad behind my back.

If eggs are kept chilled, they hold up very well.
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bliss_eternal Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-31-05 05:47 PM
Response to Reply #49
56. Thanks for the tip!
I really appreciate it! I once tried to cook some eggs for breakfast that weren't very old, broke them and they didn't smell great so I tossed them instead. I probably just had an unfortunate batch--lol. It's good to know they are still good for baking! :hi:
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bleedingheart Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-31-05 11:26 AM
Response to Original message
51. Here in PA...I have to say I have been lucky....but we are a Dairy State
so ...that might explain the fresh milk...
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Mutley Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-31-05 11:28 AM
Response to Original message
52. My milk is usually fine a few days
after the expiration date. :shrug:
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Fox Mulder Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-31-05 11:30 AM
Response to Original message
53. My milk is always good after the expiration...
I've never had it expire before its expiration date. :shrug:
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Straight Shooter Donating Member (1000+ posts) Send PM | Profile | Ignore Sat Dec-31-05 11:33 AM
Response to Original message
54. Buy Horizon organic milk.
I swear by it. I don't drink a lot of milk, and it seems like the Horizon brand lasts forever. I can open a carton and two weeks later it's still just fine. It costs more than the store brand, but it doesn't matter to me because every bit of it is used and doesn't end up going down the drain like the other brands do. (Plus it's important to me to support organic products. Less in my pocket but less damage to Earth and its creatures.)

Maybe it has something to do with how Horizon processes their milk, or maybe it has something to do with being organic ...?
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