Probably shouldn’t eat that

We’ve all been there. Bombarded with the thought of “I’ll just try this and hope for the best,” we open up that package of mysterious cheese from the back of the fridge and cautiously eat it for lunch. Recently, I was amazed to discover that the eggs I had cooked myself one evening were four weeks past the maximum expiration date, and still safe to eat. (Eggs are actually good up to five weeks after the date printed on the package.) I hope to clear up any confusion about the expiration period of those foods you’ve possibly forgotten. \nMilk: It doesn’t matter which kind you prefer, 2 percent, skim, soy, whatever – \nif it smells sour or, heaven forbid, has chunks, do not drink it. For regular milk, the basic rule of thumb is that it’s good for a week after the expiration date stamped on the container. Anything past that, be careful. For soy milk, after it’s opened, you should keep it in the coldest part of your fridge (this means not in the fridge door, if you can) and it will stay good for seven to 10 days after opening. \nCheese: There are mixed opinions for how long you can delay eating it. You should always check the smell first. If it smells rotten in any way (and it’s not Limburger cheese), it’s not good to eat. If it’s a hard cheese, like Parmesan or Gouda, some people are all right with cutting off any mold and eating the unaffected parts. I don’t know if I, personally, would do that, but it hasn’t been proven to make you sick. For soft cheeses, like Brie or cream cheese, any discoloration and it’s done. Don’t risk eating it – nothing’s worse than getting sick from bad dairy. Also, if buying high-quality cheeses (we’re not talking about “Kraft Singles” here), you should only ever buy as much as you can eat within the next few days. \nBeer: When considering regular beers, anything after six months (both in and out of the fridge) and you may start to be able to tell a slight difference in flavor. You can keep it for even a few years but, basically, after six months it’s not going to be as enjoyable. Some fancier beers, though, actually improve with age.\nMeat: This is trickier. Keep in mind that ground meat, even when frozen, is more likely to contain bacteria or other pathogens than filets, so expiration dates should always be followed. If unfrozen, ground meat should not be eaten more than a couple of days after its expiration date. The same goes for lunch meat. If frozen, beef is good up to four months after the expiration, poultry up to eight months. As far as refreezing goes, as long as you have thawed the meat (the first time) in the fridge, not in the microwave, bacteria probably have not had enough time to grow and multiply. You can refreeze it as long as it has been handled correctly, with full sanitary precautions, and repackaged into the freezer in an airtight plastic bag. My tip: Before freezing the meat the first time, separate it into serving sizes and then freeze it. \nProduce: It’s easy to tell when fruits and vegetables have gone south. You should always try to buy produce that does not have any bruises or blemishes on it. Fruits and vegetables will always store longer in the fridge. Use your nose and your eyes for these – if it smells weird or looks bad, don’t eat it. Try to eat your produce soon after you buy it.\nI know foods’ expiration dates can get away from you, but keeping an eye on them will guarantee fresher and better-tasting meals. It’s not worth eating something you’re not sure about, as food poisoning is simply horrible. Don’t take a chance; you probably shouldn’t eat it.