If you’re a true “foodie,” this passion can lead to getting carried away in a grocery or wholesale food store. I enter with a list of two to five items and, before I know it, I’m exiting with a cart of 20-plus items. And, don’t let me see a two-for-one deal: I find myself taking home doubles of carrot juice, day-old bread, strawberries, salad greens – and gigantic jars of mayonnaise to last years! In my saner moments, I conduct a “cart assessment” before I get to the cashier and remove any flagrantly irrational choices.
Then, there’s the challenge of where to store all the newly acquired goodies. Next, there’s the scramble to cook up the fresh items while they are at their best. (Why did I think I could cook green beans, broccoli and spinach within days?) Inevitably, the painful exercise arrives – dumping food that has gone bad before consuming it. The typical family wastes about 300 pounds of food annually due to spoilage, according to a 1996 University of Arizona Waste Study. Collectively, that sounds like enough to feed a small country. How do you know whether food is still fresh?
It’s hard to be sure how to make good freshness choices these days – because of the preservatives hidden in most foods; because we have little clue as to the journey most foods take before they reach us; and because we rarely remember how long an item has been shelved in our pantry, refrigerator or freezer. There’s little we can do to affect the first two factors but we can monitor the quality of our food once we bring it home. To ensure that foods are consumed before their expiration dates, apply the FIFO (First-In-First-Out) rule. When re-stocking, place recently purchased items behind existing foods and, where possible, mark the item with the date you purchased it. The exception is leftovers: As a general rule, leftovers (Last-In-First-Out) should be eaten or discarded within 48 hours.
Refrigerated foods
* Any food that is not sterilized will ultimately spoil from the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms. Bring refrigerated/frozen foods home from the store quickly and return them to refrigeration.
* Milk is highly perishable; it should always be capped or closed and never left at room temperature. Milk- and egg-based foods should always be refrigerated. Eggs in the shell can generally stay fresh for three to five weeks until normal refrigeration.
* Fresh meats and seafood are highly perishable due to their high moisture and high protein content. Fresh cuts of meat usually contain some surface bacteria that will grow after three days of refrigeration in oxygen-permeable packaging.
* Fresh fruits and vegetables are often sprayed with spoilage retardants but easily lose nutritional value if not kept at cool temperatures and consumed not long after picking. Food that has not been maintained at proper conditions will spoil rapidly. Check for off-odors, off-flavors, off-color and changes in texture.
Frozen foods
* When fresh fruits and vegetables are exposed to light and air, the vitamins in the food begin to break down. Manufacturers use “quick-freeze” methods to preserve a food’s nutrients. Freshly harvested but stored produce may actually be lower in nutrients than food frozen immediately after picking.
* Freezing inhibits the growth of bacteria but long-term freezing reduces the nutritional value and quality of food. Air causes frozen foods to become dry and filled with ice crystals; that moisture turns foods soggy. Always remove as much air from plastic bags as possible before sealing. A vacuum-packaging device (I use Food Saver) that removes all air can extend the quality of frozen foods longer and better than regular plastic bags or containers. Vacuum packaging can also be used for pantry and refrigerator items.
* In power failures or emergencies, perishable foods should be discarded after six hours without refrigeration. If frozen foods have completely thawed but are still cold, they must be cooked or re-frozen within 24 hours. If ever in doubt, discard un-refrigerated or thawed food.
* Think small: Smaller packages encourage faster consumption. Before freezing, divide leftovers into portions that work for meals, sandwiches or snacks. Freeze bulk or batched staples, e.g., vegetables in portions will do not require separation and re-thawing.
Shelved foods
* A food’s shelf-life is impacted by the food itself, temperature/humidity conditions, packaging and storage. KRON/Channel 4 shares handy tips from viewers on its Web site: http://www.kron.com/Global/story.asp?S=1454284
* Be conscious of all foods on your pantry shelves and work hard to use or discard them, following the FIFO rule. Take the guesswork out of shelf-life questions by marking cans and packages with the month/year of purchase using a permanent marker. To reduce the task, only mark items that you will not consume with a month or two.
* Bottled water has a shelf life of one to two years and should be stored in a cool, dry and low-sunlight location. Emergency food and water should be regularly cycled in-and-out to maintain freshness.
Alas, freshness factors seem to require more information than the average brain can recall so here’s Epicure’s quick-and-easy guideline: If it’s been in your refrigerator longer than one month, consider it “suspect”; if it’s been in your pantry or freezer longer than one year (or if you can’t even remember), throw it out! And ease your pain by taking a drive to Costco … or Safeway … or Trader Joe’s….
Jacqui Love Marshall lives in Danville with her vintage-car-loving husband, two pugs and binders of recipes. E-mail her at Epicure@DanvilleWeekly.com.
Freshness test for eggs
1. Fill a deep bowl or pan with enough cold tap water to cover eggs.
2. Place egg or eggs in the water:
– If the egg lies on its side, the air cell within is small and the egg is very fresh.
– If the egg stands up and bobs on the bottom, the air cell is larger and it isn’t quite as fresh.
– If the egg floats on the surface, it is not fresh and should be discarded.
Note: Grade AA eggs are the highest grade and stay fresh longer. When very fresh eggs are broken, they will have a yolk that stands up and a thick white that doesn’t spread much.
Normal storage life guide
PANTRY
Nuts, Grains, Cereals 4-6 months
Rice, Pasta 6-12 months
Flour, Spices 8-12 months
Dried Beans, Peas 6 months
Oils, Sauces, Dressings 3-6 months
Jams, Jellies, etc. 1 year
Canned Foods 1 year
Boxed Mixes 6-9 months
REFRIGERATOR
Dairy Products 1-4 weeks
Opened Condiments 1-4 weeks
Breads 5-7 days
Cheeses 1-2 weeks
Fresh Greens, Herbs 2-5 days
Fresh Fruit, Vegetables* 3-6 days
Fresh Fish, Meats 1-3 days
FREEZER
Beef, Poultry 6-9 months
Fish 3-6 months
Soups 3-6 months
Coffee Beans 6-9 months
Corn, Green Vegetables 8 months
Bread 6-12 months
Butter, Margarine 9-12 months
Juices, Drinks 1 year
*longer for hardy fruit and root vegetables
Community Briefs: Tango and Jazz at City Center | Alamo and Danville road closuresApril 3, 2026 9:31 am
