If something says, best if used by

Sunflower777

If you have food in your fridge that says, "best if used by Nov. 30," do you consider that expired or just not as fresh as possible??

?DH is making BLTs for dinner tonight and found that our mayo had a "best if used by Nov. 30" date on it and refused to use it. I hadn't noticed the date and made us tuna sandwiches last week with it, and no one got sick or anything. I consider the best if used by date different than an expiration date, I guess.?

?WDYT? Just curious if I'm the crazy one.??

UGAbride

I consider it expired then...b/c how else do you know when to stop using it if not on that date?  So how long would you use the mayo that had the 11/30 date on it?  I'm super-anal about fresh food though!

amy05-04

I might use it a week or so after that date, but not much longer.  I consider it an exp date too.

JOEBunny

Toss it, especially Mayo.

Zenya

I had mayo in my fridge forever and ate it 5 months past the use by date.  My husband thought it was outrageous but it smelled fine and I just let it go.

Mrs.Saxy

condiments don't matter.  I'll eat ketchup, mustard, mayo, parmesan cheese no matter what, unless it smells bad.

most of "best if used by" I smell it and if it smells ok then I eat it.