Keep it or toss it? Expired unopened Steel Cut Oats

[nadine_mn]

I have an unopened carton of Quaker Oats steel cut oats that expired in Oct 2013, I can't believe it's that old I think I bought it in 2012 or 2013 - shelf life should be a little longer. Or is different for cardboard vs metal can? If it helps it was stored in a cool dark place in my upper cupboards.

I think it should be fine to use (I will open, sniff and check for anything suspicious smelling or looking), because I hate wasting stuff. I was thinking of making some breakfast bars.

But that worry wart in the back of my head says toss it.


I really hate wasting stuff - esp when it is stuff I buy when I am determined to get "healthier" and then forget about it. At least we bring all our food scraps and waste to the county compost once a week so its not filling up a landfill.

12 votes, 0 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	Keep it - expiration dates are artificial limits created by evil corps to make you buy more stuff
	3 (25%)
	Sniff it - if it smells ok - keep it
	7 (58%)
	Toss it - steel oats aren't that expensive and not worth getting sick over
	2 (17%)
	Other
	0 (0%)
	0 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
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[Arkansas Granny]

1. Check it out. If it smells OK and you don't see any evidence of insect activity,

cook some and see if it still tastes OK. I don't think it could be harmful, just maybe not up to snuff on taste.

[lunatica]

2. the worst could be it's even more tasteless than ever

Be brave! Go for it. You'll know if it looks funny or tastes strange or has many different colors it shouldn't have.

[nadine_mn]

3. that is why I figured I could make breakfast bars

Put enough flavor in there to make it tasty

[Major Nikon]

4. If it doesn't kill you, it's bound to make you stronger

[CBGLuthier]

5. I read a good article yesterday about how all these terms confuse and cause food to be wasted.

They are attempting to clarify the difference between "best by" as in might be stale and "expired" as in might make you sick.

I dobt these oats will make you sick. They may taste old though. Worth trying.

[Hayduke Bomgarte]

6. Having had nasty bouts of Ptomaine a handful of times

Over the years, almost every time from bad or poorly refrigerated Tuna or potato salads and not oatmeal, I won't take chances anymore. I'd toss it.

[Kablooie]

8. An alternative idea...

http://www.wikihow.com/Make-Oatmeal-Play-Clay

[noamnety]

9. It's fine.

I'm still using up a stash of cans of whole wheat grains (unground) that I got free, off craigslist, when someone was unloading their Y2K survivalist hoard. So it's at least 16 years old, and good as new.

[Pakhet]

10. If they don't smell rancid and don't have bugs, they are likely fine

I've even sifted out the weevils from old oats, but that was because I had nothing else...

[EL34x4]

13. You sifted out the protein?

Weevils add crunchiness.

[Pakhet]

20. yeah, they're a little musty so I had to sift them out.

Cereal with tiny sugar ants, on the other hand, went into the freezer to kill the ants and please please please don't tell my son... LOL

[Chan790]

11. As long as there are no bugs...they're fine.

Is it a metal can? It's definitely fine. Dried grains have nearly indefinite shelf-lives...that was the whole point in antiquity; they'd dry them, store them in the granary and keep them sometimes for as much as 20 years.

The government requires that all foodstuffs have expiration labels...and most things need them, but some things really can be kept nearly indefinitely under optimal conditions.

[2naSalit]

17. +1

[My Good Babushka]

12. If there was no mold or mildew

or evidence of bugs, I'd probably use them. Unless I were over 60-65, because if my mother were asking me the same question I would tell her to throw them away, and not take a chance on getting sick.

[EL34x4]

14. My wife won't touch any product the day after the date on the box.

Doesn't matter if it is expiration or best used buy date, once that date has passed, she won't touch it.

I got on her case for tossing away expired sour cream. "It's already sour!" was my argument.

[nadine_mn]

18. My mom is that way - she wastes a ton of food

Makes no sense to me, esp when the package is unopened. There is just something about the idea of throwing away food that seems so wrong...like I said in my OP, I will at least toss the moldy, stale or sketchy stuff in the bin to take to the county compost once a week.

My mom is the queen of disposable everything - dishes, silverware, bottled water paper towels, dryer sheets: one use and toss. She has a full garbage every week and it's just her.

My husband and I and our pets have one garbage bag a week of household trash, one bag of pet waste. The rest is recycled or compost. I use wool dryer balls scented with essential oils, reusable bottles for water, bring our own bags to store, mugs to coffee shops etc - I feel like I have to counteract my mom's assault on the environment.

[mnhtnbb]

15. I used a can of green beans last night

that was dated use by June 2012 to mix with some fresh ones in a green bean casserole. No damage to can, smelled ok, and nobody got
food poisoning last night.

[2naSalit]

16. Just an aside

one way to improve the taste of canned green beans is to add a tablespoon of nettle, fresh or dried. If you use fresh, be sure to bring the whole pan to a boil first, makes them taste fresher.

[Skittles]

19. scheduling nadine_mn for ass kicking

just because

[azurnoir]

21. the worst that can be is that they may taste or smell stale- dried grains like oats and rice along

dried beans don't really go bad in the sense that they spoil and as long as they were stored in a cool dark and dry place they should be fine

[TuxedoKat]

22. If you dont want to eat it

or see evidence of bug activity then you could just compost it or make bird food out of it. I make suet out of 2 cups oatmeal, 2 cups flour, two cups of corn meal mixed with about 1 cup of peanut butter and 1 cup shortening or bacon grease if you have it. Birds love it.