Keep it, chuck it, eat it?

©Fotolia/Seraphim Vector

I confess I’m a little obsessed by use-by and sell-by dates. While I’m not quite as worried as Kate from the Eat Well for Less programme I reviewed earlier this year (she threw food out even before the use-by date because she was so worried about giving her family food poisoning) I do relate to her fears. No one wants sick kids especially if your own cooking is the culprit!

I think it’s the confusion over what’s safe to eat, and when and how long you can keep foods in the fridge or freezer before you need to throw them out. I need expert opinion and reassurance

Which is why I love Still Tasty – a website that gives you the lowdown on what’s safe to eat and what isn’t. Type in the food you’re worried about – it can be a raw food or cooked – and it will tell you how long it will keep in the fridge, freezer, cupboard… you get the drift. I like it so much I often use this website to write my leftover tips for Meals Our Kids Love recipes.

All the information is drawn from multiple and credible sources including the United States Department of Agriculture and the US Food and Drug Administration. There’s a question and answer section and regular posts on different kinds of foods including 9 Foods that Last Forever and 10 Surprising Foods you can Freeze. My recent favourite – Storing Boxed Chocolates: How long do chocolates last? Well, anyone who knows me and my family knows the answer to that question is: not long at all.

Have a look, see what you think.