Expiration dates: what you should know
To keep or toss? That is the question to ask when it comes to product expiration dates.
Not all items in your fridge and pantry give off a not-so-subtle hint that it may be time to throw them in the bin.
Some products such as shampoos or toothpaste are not so easy to detect that they’ve gone past their expiration dates.
www.time.com compiled a guide regarding expiration dates and the dates provided should serve as a rough guideline:
Beer
Unopened: Four months.
Brown sugar
Indefinite shelf life, stored in a moisture proof container, in a cool, dry place.
Chocolate (Hershey bar)
One year from production date
Coffee, canned ground
Unopened: Two years
Opened: One month refrigerated
Coffee, gourmet
Beans: Three weeks in paper bag, longer in vacuum-seal bag (after this time, colour or flavour may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume)
Ground: One week in sealed container
Coffee, instant
Unopened: Up to two years
Opened: Up to one month
Diet soda (and soft drinks in plastic bottles)
Unopened: Three months from “best by” date.
Opened: Doesn’t spoil, but taste is affected.
Dried pasta
12 months
