Feed the World

[Colwyn]

According to the Institute of Mechanical Engineers (Energy & Environment group) half the food grown in the world is wasted. In developing counties this is because of poor transport and storage. In the developed countries it is because too many of us buy too much (especially with BOGOF), refuse to buy products with blemishes - or so supermarkets say - and so 30% of vegetables in the UK aren't even harvested because of this). Also products have silly "use by" dates so we throw them away unnecessarily. Worldwide 2 billion tonnes of food is wasted and, therefore, so is the 550 billion cubic litres of water used to grow these uneaten crops.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20968076

[kenkay]

We regularly eat food that past it's use by date. Meat and dairy products if they have been in the fridge unopened and if they look and smell alright.  With fruit and veg it's pretty obvious when the are beyond eating.

[bewva]

Likewise Ken.
We prefer red meat that has started to lose its redness, and we keep stuff in the freezer for years.

[Scunner]

Living in Turkey taught us a few things - it was really strange to go to the Sunday market and see all the tomatoes with scars and some more red on one side than another - until you realise that this is what tomatoes look like, it is the perfectly round, perfectly red ones in Tesco that are incorrect. Also cucumbers - nobody eats cucumber really here apart from me (and I don't eat much of it, just a few slices on my salmon sarnies ) - in Turkey a cucumber had no value at the market, if you don't want a kilo of them, and really want just one, you are strange but you can have it free as a gift. Now back here, cucumbers are always BOGOF - so maybe 90p gets you 2 cucumbers, but we'll never use one let alone two so I end up paying 60p for half a cucumber!!!

The other thing I learned over there on the subject of food is that use by/sell by dates mean nothing at all. If Mrs Scunner found a packet of ham in the back of the fridge that someone had kindly brought over for us from the UK, the question is not "what date is on it", it is "is it moving yet"  

[Piscoe]

The way I have always seen it is "best before dates" are a kind of legal disclaimer and in actual fact food is perfectly edible way beyond that. Eggs and meat are a great example although these are the type of items people generally freak out about. Beef is definitely better eaten "on the mooch".

[mary62]

When I was a kid there were no such things as sell by/ use by dates. We used our eyes, nose and mouth to check if they were ok. First look at the item, if it looks ok then smell it. If it smells ok, then put a little in your mouth....simples. If supermarkets did away with BOGOF's and instead took 30% off the price of the item shoppers wouldn't overbuy, and throw food away.
The problem in the U.K in regards to fruit & veg being the 'right' size and shape is, IMHO, down to beurocracy/regulation by the E.U. and the 'substandard' foodstuffs are left to rot.
I'll get off my soap box now.

[bewva]

We throw loads of food away (fruit & veg) because we overbuy. Spuds are usually good for a few weeks after their use by date and I'd 'lay' money on our eggs in the fridge being at least 2 - 3 weeks out of date, but still get used.

[Steve (redding43)]

The smell test normally works for us though I admit to being a little less easy with fish and chicken

As for eggs....if they don't float in water then they are good enough to eat. To be honest if you crack an egg open and it's off....you know it!

Breads also fine, just pick the first signs of green mould off

[Scunner]

I'm not sure I'll be able to make it for dinner at yours after all Steve

[Steve (redding43)]

I'm not sure I'll be able to make it for dinner at yours after all Steve

What's up? It's good food followed by a rapid de-tox