Author Topic: Testing Expired Stockpiles  (Read 13824 times)

Offline The Expendable

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Testing Expired Stockpiles
« on: September 07, 2014, 02:07:38 PM »
I had some tests of different expired food from my stockpiles on here, but I can't find them now, So I'm just starting a new thread.  A little background... When I started stockpiling, I bought mostly canned food.  I found it to be cheap and easy to find.  Besides, I had read in a couple of places that canned food doesn't really expire when the date on the can says so.  Some canned food has been found to be safe to eat many, many years later.  Of course, that doesn't mean that it's always appetizing, just that it won't kill you.  Still, my philosophy of prepping is that you should first build up your stockpile using canned food from the grocery store to build up six months or so of food, then shift to freeze-dried long term storage. 

I have been testing out-of-date foods for a while.  Some of them survive well past the expiration date, others, not so much.  Every thing I have stored is in an air-conditioned storage room in my garage, with the a/c set at about 78 degrees.  Here are the latest things I have tested:

Fat Free Long Shelf Life Milk: Expiration Date, December 2013.  Test Date, September 2014.  Smelled OK, but had large clumps in it.  Probably safe, but very unappetizing.  I wouldn't trust it.

Ketchup:  Expiration Date, June 2013.  Test Date, August 2014.  Color had changed to a dark red.  Smelled and tasted OK.  City Girl wouldn't eat it because it looked bad.  I ate it and it seemed fine.

Ragu Spaghetti Sauce:  Expiration Date, April 2010.  Test Date, July 2014.  Color had changed to a very dark red.  Smelled OK.  City Girl refused to eat it.  She said it needed to be thrown away, even though it smelled fine.

Albacore Tuna in Water:  Expiration Date, April 2013.  Test Date, August 2014.  Looked and tasted fine.  No problems.


My tests are not scientific, but may give you an indication of what items do not store well.  Dairy and tomato products seem to not hold up that well past the expiration dates.  Meats seem to do better.

Offline KODIAK

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Re: Testing Expired Stockpiles
« Reply #1 on: September 08, 2014, 11:01:59 AM »
Thanks for the info. I need to do the same thing.

Offline sd1951

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Re: Testing Expired Stockpiles
« Reply #2 on: September 08, 2014, 01:23:24 PM »
Thanks for the info.  I have been wondering the same thing about certain products.  My family and I have forgone processed foods for several years.  I have been canning, dehydrating and buying fresh since.  It has been for personal everyday use, but I have been trying to have a more organized approach to use what I already preserve for long term storage.  I recently discovered the method for using Mylar bags and oxygen absorbers, but there are some commercially packed ingredients such as canned tuna that I was wondering how long it would last.

Offline The Expendable

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Re: Testing Expired Stockpiles
« Reply #3 on: September 21, 2014, 10:26:00 AM »
Last week I made a pie using cherry pie filling that expired in July, 2011.  It was as good as new.  No loss of flavor or texture.

This morning was pancake Sunday, so I opened up some Aunt Jemima syrup that expired in January, 2011.  It also was as good as new.  Still sticky and sweet.  :)

Offline The Expendable

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Re: Testing Expired Stockpiles
« Reply #4 on: September 24, 2014, 09:44:18 PM »
Today I had Dinty Moore beef stew for lunch.  It expired in April, 2012.  It was as good as new.

BTW, Dinty Moore is my go-to prep food for the apocalypse.  Good thing it stores well beyond its expiration date.   :)

Offline Alas Babylon

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Re: Testing Expired Stockpiles
« Reply #5 on: September 25, 2014, 08:05:44 AM »
When you say dinty Moore is as good as new, I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not.  :D   How could anyone ever tell if it went bad?
Just kidding, I've been eating it since my boy scout days. 

Last year (2013) I opened a large tray of mre style rib like meat.  Enough to feed a group of ten people.  It expired in 2012. Oh boy was that disgusting.  Based on the flavor of the sauce, I don't know if it was ever edible. Unfortunately I still have 3 more trays of it.  I'll save it for food to give away to the needed when SHTF.

Offline The Expendable

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Re: Testing Expired Stockpiles
« Reply #6 on: September 25, 2014, 10:28:26 AM »
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When you say dinty Moore is as good as new, I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not.  :D   How could anyone ever tell if it went bad?
Just kidding, I've been eating it since my boy scout days. 

Last year (2013) I opened a large tray of mre style rib like meat.  Enough to feed a group of ten people.  It expired in 2012. Oh boy was that disgusting.  Based on the flavor of the sauce, I don't know if it was ever edible. Unfortunately I still have 3 more trays of it.  I'll save it for food to give away to the needed when SHTF.

Ha!  I've always liked Dinty Moore, but then again, I don't have a refined pallette.   I have the same idea about disgusting food.  I'm saving it for my brother-in-law.  He always claims to be on board with prepping, but has never stocked up on any food.  Instead, he buys toys.  Well, I hope he likes out-of-date Vienna sausages, because that's what he's getting.

Offline delta69alpha

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Re: Testing Expired Stockpiles
« Reply #7 on: September 27, 2014, 10:13:19 AM »
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When you say dinty Moore is as good as new, I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not.  :D   How could anyone ever tell if it went bad?
Just kidding, I've been eating it since my boy scout days. 

Last year (2013) I opened a large tray of mre style rib like meat.  Enough to feed a group of ten people.  It expired in 2012. Oh boy was that disgusting.  Based on the flavor of the sauce, I don't know if it was ever edible. Unfortunately I still have 3 more trays of it.  I'll save it for food to give away to the needed when SHTF.

dude...mcrib tray packs rule ....least you dont have three trays of eggs :-\

most nre's arent that great..ive eatin ones from the 90's that rocked...and some that were only 1 year old that sucked. imho the "steaks"/beef etc all take on a funny taste . i ate a steak with shroom gravy..was good but it had that mcdondalds steak bagel taste..uggh..


ate 8 yr old hormel tamales once- no issues.
most stuff we rotate out or keep is 1-3 years past the "best buy" or exp. date.
it dont hiss,,squirt,,stink or fizz when ya openit is normally g2g.

Offline The Expendable

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Re: Testing Expired Stockpiles
« Reply #8 on: September 27, 2014, 02:39:34 PM »
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When you say dinty Moore is as good as new, I'm not sure if that's a good thing or not.  :D   How could anyone ever tell if it went bad?
Just kidding, I've been eating it since my boy scout days. 

Last year (2013) I opened a large tray of mre style rib like meat.  Enough to feed a group of ten people.  It expired in 2012. Oh boy was that disgusting.  Based on the flavor of the sauce, I don't know if it was ever edible. Unfortunately I still have 3 more trays of it.  I'll save it for food to give away to the needed when SHTF.

dude...mcrib tray packs rule ....least you dont have three trays of eggs :-\

most nre's arent that great..ive eatin ones from the 90's that rocked...and some that were only 1 year old that sucked. imho the "steaks"/beef etc all take on a funny taste . i ate a steak with shroom gravy..was good but it had that mcdondalds steak bagel taste..uggh..


ate 8 yr old hormel tamales once- no issues.
most stuff we rotate out or keep is 1-3 years past the "best buy" or exp. date.
it dont hiss,,squirt,,stink or fizz when ya openit is normally g2g.

When I was about 14, I had a t-shirt that said, "If it Smells Good, Eat it."  I never really understood what that meant until now...

Offline KODIAK

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Re: Testing Expired Stockpiles
« Reply #9 on: September 27, 2014, 09:04:17 PM »
Today, you would get expelled from school for wearing it.......

Offline delta69alpha

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Re: Testing Expired Stockpiles
« Reply #10 on: September 30, 2014, 08:50:22 PM »
Best by 2011 chipolte sardines are swimming in my belly.....well see what happens  :P

Offline The Expendable

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Re: Testing Expired Stockpiles
« Reply #11 on: October 05, 2014, 12:00:33 PM »
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Best by 2011 chipolte sardines are swimming in my belly.....well see what happens  :P

I'm assuming they swam all the way downstream without any problem.   ;)
« Last Edit: October 05, 2014, 12:05:39 PM by The Expendable »

Offline The Expendable

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Re: Testing Expired Stockpiles
« Reply #12 on: October 05, 2014, 12:03:14 PM »
This morning I made biscuits and opened a can of Spam to fry.  The "best by" date was May, 2012.  It looked as good as new.  It smelled and tasted perfect.

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Offline FLPrepper

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Re: Testing Expired Stockpiles
« Reply #13 on: October 06, 2014, 08:02:05 AM »
Last night I cooked up a steak that wasn't very flavorful, so I grabbed a bottle of A-1 out of the cabinet. Opened it up and was hit by a really bad smell. The best by date was Feb. 2014. A-1 does not seem to age well.

Offline Bumbury

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Re: Testing Expired Stockpiles
« Reply #14 on: October 06, 2014, 11:43:52 AM »
i still got a bunch of soup progresso exp date of 2012 n 2013 still holding up well.. the only one i had any reservations about was the clam chowder 2013.... it didn't smell off at least my wife didn't think so but i was just afraid because of the cream base.. I'm lactose anyways so that adds to my apprehension...

Iv used dry pasta exp date 2012 no problems..

the one thing i have that I'm still testing is a case of MRE's that i bought in 1999 brand Mil-Spec all the sides are still smelling very fresh as are the crackers n spreads.. only thing is they taste a bit stale but very eatable.... I'm saving the entrees  for emergence dog food...

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