Do You Check The Expiration Dates On Products Before You Buy?

Discussion in Stores Reviews, Comments & Complaints started by MrsR • May 13, 2013.

  1. MrsR

    MrsRMember

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    Do you make it a habit of checking the expiration date on products at the supermarket? I always check dates because I know that many times the stock does not get rotated like it should in stores. Many times the employees are rushed to get the product out on the shelves and they don't take the time to stock it properly. I always check the expiration date on everything I buy. Not only meat, dairy and bread, but health and beauty aids and canned goods too. I also open the egg carton to make sure the eggs aren't broken. One time while I was buying eggs, all of the cartons on the shelf were out of date. I alerted a stock boy and he looked at me with a blank look on his face. He did go get a cart and start taking them off the shelf, but he said that was all they had so who knows, they might have put them back on the shelf later.

    I have always checked the dates before I buy, but when I'm shopping I see a lot of people who don't, they just grab it off the shelf and go on.
     
  2. Libragirl67

    Libragirl67Active Member

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    I definetly check certain items that I buy. For instance, I always check the milk date. And basically anything that is in the dairy section. Or any type of meat products. I should start checking the dry items as well. I think you are right in saying they do not always rotate the stock like they should. Sometimes I do get chips or cereal that is stale. And sure enough, it is past the expiration date.

    Also I would never buy anything that came from the dollar stores. I have never had much luck in any of my food purchases from them.
     
  3. Lilley1

    Lilley1Member

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    I always check the expiration date and nutrition label when I buy food products. Years ago I forced myself to start checking and eventually it became a habit. It can be very frustrating to notice an out of date (or nearly out of date) item when you get home, only to have to take it back. I am also very picky about where I buy food. If the grocery store has slight odor, like some Winn-Dixie stores, I can't bring myself to shop there. I stick to Publix and Walmart, luckily our Walmart is very nice.
     
  4. MakingCents

    MakingCentsActive Member

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    I always do. Especially if I am buying in bulk. In the past I've bought in bulk, and they've expired before I was able to use them all. So yes, definitely check the expiration dates.
     
  5. JessiFox

    JessiFoxActive Member

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    I always do as well...it's frustrating spending money on things that are expired or will be before you can even put them to use, and it happens a lot that they're still stocked on the shelves that way.
     
  6. ozadin

    ozadinActive Member

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    Yes, it's a good idea to do that every time you buy any food product. I know I always check the expiration date on my milk, since rotten milk is not good.
     
  7. EdenSB

    EdenSBActive Member

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    I always check the date for anything which has a short shelf-life. It's common sense since stores often 'forget' to take them down. Another thing I do is compare the goods nearest the front to those at the back. Some stores push the freshest things to the back so that people buy the ones closest to expiration first.

    I very rarely bother for tinned goods or frozen goods.
     
  8. ReishiSpore

    ReishiSporeMember

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    I don't always do check the expiration date, but most the times I do. It's easy to forget to check the expiration date of all the products you buy in store, and so this is the reason that I don't always check it. If the product was out of date after I had already left the store, I would simply return it back the same day. Of course, this is why it pays to check the label before making a purchase.
     
  9. Gunner3579

    Gunner3579New Member

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    I always check the expiration date as well, especially since I live in a relatively small town (so shelves are not always restocked as frequently as they should be). Some of the supermarkets specifically mark down some products that are nearer to their expiration, so in those cases, I might grab something I otherwise would not have. :D
     
  10. Nick2011

    Nick2011Active Member

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    You'd have to be insane not to. However, when it comes to meat like Pork, Beef, or Chicken you can tell if it's good, spoiled, or close to it just by examining the package and ignoring the date. For example, when you buy Brats (Bratwurst) at the grocer, if the meat seen through the plastic wrap is discolored and looks brownish/grayish, like it's been drained of its color? Then it's bad. Bratwurst should look super pink. Which means it's healthy and fresh. Same goes for all meat. Beef should look super red, not brown. Same with fresh pork, and chicken. Fish and poultry should be checked for green spots. Also when buying fish you can look at the fishes skin and tail to tell if it's fresh or not. Canned goods can last forever so no need to examine the date there. You'd have to shop at a pretty crappy store to see canned corn on the shelf that expires next month.

    Fruit and Vegetables are hard to find fresh or good looking. Again, the outer of the produce tells you how good it is or isn't. I always make sure to check dates on bread though. Even though sometimes they're hard to find. Sometimes they're on the package clip. Other times, stamped on the back of the bag. Juice and soda are usually always fresh date wise. Milk you should always check. ALWAYS.
     
    #10May 14, 2013
    Last edited: May 14, 2013
  11. pafjlh

    pafjlhActive Member

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    I definitely check the expiration date on products. Especially when I am buying dairy products such as milk, I make it a habit of checking the date. Fortunately this isn't too hard to do since for the most part on dairy products the expiration date is very prominent on the product. I also tend to check nutrition information especially on new products that I am considering buying.
     
  12. BlackSolaris

    BlackSolarisActive Member

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    Good question. When i go shopping, i usually like to take a look at the package of what i am buying, seeing that everything is in good order and it's feels "right", so yeah, i check the expiration date on it. Maybe i take too much time shopping, but i like to make good decisions.
     
  13. blurinoctober

    blurinoctoberActive Member

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    I have absolutely always checked the eggs before I put them in the cart, but I am generally guilty of not checking the expiration date a lot of the time otherwise. Lately I'm trying to change that! My girlfriend's found many things we brought home from CVS that expired too long ago to even make sense - they should've been pulled off the shelf 6 months before we bought them! It's hard to remember all of the time, but I really am trying to get into that habit.
     
  14. maurovis

    maurovisNew Member

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    I'm a little guilty of not doing this as often as I should. Don't get me wrong I always check the dates on anything dairy, my meat I always buy fresh at the local butcher but things like creams, health products and canned goods I kind of let that slide. It's something that I have to be more careful with.
     
  15. MaraJadeC

    MaraJadeCMember

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    This has actually become a habit of mine ever since I bought a Buy1Take1 Free box of milk one time...It turned out the milk's going to expire in a month! Lesson learned the hard way,
     
  16. JosieP

    JosiePWell-Known Member

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    Definitely. Not only to see how long we have left with the food but if the expiration date is far longer than it should be for the type of food.. no thanks lol.
     
  17. ACSAPA

    ACSAPAWell-Known Member

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    I always check expiration dates for perishable items, but sometimes I don't look at nonperishable items as closely as I should. I'm guilty of having bought an expired box of Rice A Roni because I wasn't paying attention.
    I sometimes don't look at the dates on canned goods because I don't really think about them going bad, but I guess even a major supermarket could make a mistake and leave a can on the shelf for too long.
     
  18. dissn_it

    dissn_itActive Member

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    I can't say that I check the dates on everything, but I always check meats, milk and eggs. By the sounds of it, I better start checking a lot more products! I also tend to scrutinize the dates on items placed out for clearance. If it is something I would use right away, then it should be ok. They do stock newest items towards the back. They also stock cheaper items in the back, especially meats.
     
  19. LindaKay

    LindaKayActive Member

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    I definitely don't do this as much as I should, but I have gotten better about it. I always check the date on things like milk and eggs, but I was pretty bad about doing so with boxed and bagged foods. I have been checking a lot more lately, especially if I am buying in bulk.
     
  20. sking61

    sking61Member

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    I actually don't on everything I buy but I should make it a habit to do so. I usually check the expiration date on milk. I have done so on items I might pick up at a convenience store.