As something of a frequent traveler, I face a common dilemma or quandary when I return home, that being determination of how edible certain leftovers in the refrigerator may still be. This issue, while not a source of perpetual thought and musing, does bring up a certain need for some so-called industry standards, especially for us guys who, as a gender, are likely to view such things far more liberally. The foundational question is: 'Am I the right person to be making such a bold determination?' After all, I have been known to partake of a piece of a pizza sitting in the box on the coffee table......the morning after it was originally ordered. That was then (college) and this is now so I'll let you be the judge America as to whether I'm on target or just crying over spoiled milk. All that being said, here's what I propose so all you germophobes out there beware!
Item 1: Milk. Lumps and odors that singe nostril hairs should give you a pretty good sign that the two-week old expiration date actually had some relevance. Furthermore, even if the odor didn't make you pass out but your milk-enhanced coffee seems to bear the taste of low-fat sour cream, you may want to pour yourself another cup.
Item 2: Produce. Fruits and vegetables like bell peppers were never intended to look like prunes so if your produce has experienced substantial shrinkage and/or wrinkling, you may want to offer it up to the trash guy the next time they come around. Also, it may not bear an odor but liquid exudates are acceptable from coffee, not lettuce and no, slimy does not add character. On the flip side, if the apple looks OK, feel free to eat it. Have faith in your refrigerator's crisper drawer.
Item 3: Meats. Ground meats naturally lose some of their red freshness (visually) over time but this does not mean they have necessarily gone bad. Grayish hues in a package of ground beef are perfectly acceptable in the absence of visible mold growth and a quick sniff test should give you all the validation you need to make the final call. Don't underestimate the value of the cooking process either. Pan frying and especially microwaving can effectively stave off any early bacterial growth so, if it smells OK, cook it up and enjoy. This being said, I do recommend fresh meats when cooking for groups or anyone you may want to impress, just to be safe.
Item 4: Cured Meats. Processed or cured meats like ham have been partially preserved so expect them to have better shelf life in the fridge. I can still look at leftover ham from Thanksgiving with a fair amount of confidence but please see the last line from Item 3 above as my token disclaimer before serving it to your friends.
Item 5: Pizza. This is probably the least understood food commodity when it comes to how long it lasts. Often left out because of the cumbersome shape of the box in which it came, pizza is too often the victim of senseless waste when a minute and a half in the microwave will render it perfectly safe to eat. The crust may be like granite but the rest of it is still oh so good..
Item 6: Beer. A few years ago, one of the major beer companies out there started a trend of dating their beer to promote freshness. It's a nice idea but so self-respecting beer drinker should ever, I mean ever, discard an unopened beer because it's sat around for a few weeks. We can thank Louis Pasteur for that America.
Just an urbanized country boy's two cents worth and until next time...
