Understanding Food FRESHNESS and Sell By Dates

Product with Expiration Date on the bottom

Its a Reference Date, not "will Spoil By date"

First of all, you need to realize that many of the foods you see in supermarkets with a "sell by date" (aka Expiration date, Best By date, etc.)on them don't actually go bad on that labeled date.

In fact, for the majority of foods, these dates are set as guidelines for the store itself and are often there just to provide a reference for the customer.

Even though the ”sell by date” is important and should be checked on all food purchases, there is still some room for you to take advantage of those sale items that have dates that expire soon.

And, some foods are not labeled with “sell by dates” at all. But there are some standards you can follow with these foods to assure you are still managing your older foods properly.

Actual Life Expectancy for different Foods

Here are some of the realities that you can use to your advantage when handling your stored foods or reading those Sell By dates on your food labels:

SUPERMARKETS; their PRIORITIES versus the Public's Health.

Standing in Lines

Supermarkets!
Those places that the vast majority of us shop at for our food do not exist just for our convenience. In fact, the customer must realize that a major corporation owns the neighborhood supermarket and that they are there to make a profit, not friends.

The corporations that own the major supermarkets in our country locate their retail food stores strategically for certain specific population groups.

CHINA and FOOD QUALITY Issues - Things to know before you Buy or Eat

Salmon Filets

I received most of this information from a friend last week in an email and honestly, I hesitated to pass it on because I had not researched it all myself.

But, as I read through it again, I realized that I had read about over half of these myself from other sources.
So, I present it here for you to read and think about.
If any of it concerns you, it should be easy for you to check it on the web.


DID YOU KNOW that:

SMITHFIELD FARMS:  

Smithfield Farms, the largest pork producing farm in
the USA was sold recently to China with the  unanimous support of
its stockholders.  The hogs will still be raised here, but slaughtered
and packaged for sale there before being sent back here.
This includes labels: of Morrell, Eckrich, Krakus, Cudahy, Premium Hams,
Cook's, Gwaltney.

GMO - Genetically Modified Organisms and your Foods

Corn in Field

The business of genetically modifying foods has drawn criticism for decades and still there is no clear-cut data that can totally condemn this practice.

Agri-Business is the largest proponent of GMO’s as they focus on changes that allow for larger production volumes of certain foods.

On the other side of the fence are the people who can show that, unchecked; many of these modified foods have been proven as being dangerous to the health of the consumer. More and more of us will need to take a position as this practice expands around the world.

Understanding Food LABELS and using them to eat healthier

In our modern world, if you are concerned about what you and your family are eating then you really need to read the labels on those cans and bags in your Supermarket, very closely.

Once you pick up a can of your favorite beans or a bag of potato chips, and actually read the labels will find that you have opened up a new world of information.

NUTRITION Information

The USDA requires the listing of the nutritional information of a packaged food. It will include the percentage of the official Minimum Daily Requirement (MDR) that is based on a 2000 calories a day diet.

The nutritional data table will include such data as serving size; servings per container, and then for each serving it will list percentage of the MDR of Fats, Total Fats, Saturated Fats, and Trans Fats.

It also lists the percentage of the other nutrients such as Cholesterol, Carbohydrates, Sodium, Protein, Salt, Sugar, Calcium, Dietary Fiber and Iron as well as any Vitamins present.

Using this nutritional data can help you select healthier food options and select your foods for a better diet.

ORGANIC, NATURAL or Mystery Foods? What do these words mean.

In today’s world of mass produced food, the consumer is at the mercy of the producers when it comes to how the food or meat is grown and what chemicals can be used in its production.

Pick up a can of beans or grab a bag of chips or crackers and you quickly realize that you need to be a chemist to figure out what some of the ingredients are and what they are doing in your food.