Is it safe to eat eggs pass their expiration date or to take a couple of aspirins that are two years old? Are your running shoes fine for jogging unless the soles wear out?
Save some money and even protect your health by checking out the sometimes surprising facts on when it’s fine to keep certain items -- and when they really do need to be thrown away.
In the kitchen
Bacteria multiply quickly in uncooked meat, fish and poultry so food experts advise tossing these items after a day or two in the fridge if you haven’t used them – even if they look and smell fine. However, you can keep cooked meats and other dishes for a few days safely in the fridge if you heat them thoroughly before eating. Otherwise, throw those leftovers away.
While other refrigerated foods can’t be kept indefinitely, some can be used far longer than the dates stamped on their cartons. For example, the “sell by" or expiration codes indicate how fresh the eggs are, not when they are no longer safe to eat. Illinois Department of Agriculture food experts say that as long are eggs are refrigerated at 45 °F or lower, they are safe to be consumed four to five weeks beyond their “sell by” date. Butter is also fine to use for two weeks or so past the expiration date if stored at refrigerator temperatures below 40 °F. To save butter safely for months, wrap it tightly and store in your freezer.
In the mood for that cherry yogurt you just found in the back of your refrigerator – only it expired a couple of days ago? Not to worry. According to food scientists at the Clemson Cooperative Extension, unopened yogurt lasts a week to ten days past the “sell by” date. Milk also doesn’t suddenly go sour at the expiration date on the carton. If kept refrigerated, milk will remain fine to drink for at least two to five days longer.
A variety of other non-refrigerated foods, including rice and flour in sealed containers, can be used even a year after their expiration date, if kept in a cool dry place. In a press statement, Joe Regenstein, a professor of food science at Cornell University, said breakfast cereal stored properly can last a year longer than the “sell by” date, too.
You’ll find a "for best quality use by" date stamped on canned foods. But, according to the Canned Food Alliance (CFA), a consortium of food processors and canned food brands, canned food retains its safety and nutritional value for years beyond that date – although older canned goods may have some variation in quality, such as a change in color and texture. However, if a can leaks or the ends are bulged, the CFA says don’t use it and throw it out.
There are items in your kitchen other than food that reach a time when they need to be ditched:
Throw out your kitchen cutting boards when they develop cracks. Washing all cutting boards after use, whether they are made of wood, glass or plastic and sanitizing with bleach will help avoid bacterial contamination. But when cutting boards have visible signs of wear, throw them out. The reason? Harmful bacteria like E. coli and Salmonella can survive inside the damaged surface.
Sanitize or toss your kitchen sponge after one week. Moist and porous, sponges are havens for bacteria. Either soak them in a disinfectant solution daily for a few minutes, microwave damp sponges for 20 seconds to zap germs – or toss them after a week.
Replace your water filter every three months. Pay attention to the package instructions that tell you when charcoal pitcher filters, such as Brita, need to be changed. Bacteria and mold can build up within the filter and add contaminants to your water after three months.
In the bathroom
Guidelines on when to replace personal care items:
Cosmetics: Unopened cosmetics property stored (not exposed to excess heat or sunlight) can be safe to use many months after their expiration date. But once you’ve opened eye make-up, toss it after three to six months – or immediately if you have an eye infection. Foundation should be replaced every six to eight months. The FDA warns that touching cosmetics with an unclean applicator or brush can contaminate products with bacteria and if they develop a change in color or smell, dump them right away.
Suncreens: Toss after a year or two, depending on the type you buy. If your sunscreen label says it contains chemical agents (such as octinoxate) that absorb UV rays, they will lose the ability to protect your skin after about a year. Sunscreens that physically block the sun with zinc oxide tend to last about two years.
Rubbing alcohol: If you don’t close the bottle tightly, after about a year you may need to throw rubbing alcohol away. The water within the solution evaporates, making the remaining alcohol so concentrated that it can severely sting your skin.
Your toothbrush: The American Dental Association (ADA) says toothbrushes should be replaced every three to four months or immediately if you notice the bristles are frayed.
Common sense about expired drugs
Expiration dates are mandated by the FDA to assure that medications are effective until the date on the bottle. But that doesn’t mean that are suddenly ineffective after those deadlines.
However most medications in pill form, if kept in a cool, dry place, have been found to hold their potency well past their expiration dates. In fact, one of the largest studies ever conducted into "expired drugs" labeling was carried out for the US military by the FDA. The results of testing more than 100 prescription and over-the-counter drugs showed that about 90 percent of them were safe and effective even years past their expiration dates.
Taking an over-the counter pain reliever like aspirin well past its expiration date for a headache or muscle pain can’t hurt you and, odds are, it is still potent. However, if you need a prescription drug, don’t take any risk, no matter how slight. If your prescription has passed its expiration date, call your doctor or pharmacist to see if it’s safe to take or if you should dispose of it.
Some medications have expiration dates that only apply as long as they are not opened because they can rapidly lose effectiveness. So if you use asthma inhalers or take antibiotics in liquid form, for example, and they have been opened, always take expiration dates on those drugs very seriously.
Running shoes
According to Kathleen Weber, MD, Director of Primary Care/Sports Medicine and Women's Sports Medicine at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, one of the most common causes of injuries in runners is wearing their shoes for too long. Dr. Weber explains on the Rush University web site that by the time you notice significant wear on the bottom of your shoes, the integrity of the shoes midsole, cushioning, and stability has already been compromised – and this can lead to muscles and joint pain.
She recommends replacing your running shoes every 300 to 400 miles, which is about every five months if you run a couple of miles most days of the week. Or simply compare your sneakers with a new pair and, if you see signs of deterioration throughout your shoes’ bottom, midsole, and insert, opt for a new pair.
When to replace your mattress
Much like an old pair of running shoes, your mattress can still feel somewhat comfortable long after it’s stopped providing optimal support. The Better Sleep Council (BSC), a non-profit organization supported by the mattress industry, advises replacing mattresses about every seven years.
The BSC says these are signs you need to trade your old mattress for a new one sooner than later:
-
You wake up with stiffness, numbness, aches and pains.
- You had a better night’s sleep somewhere other than your own bed.
- Your mattress shows visible signs of overuse, such as lumps and sags.
| 
