As a prepper, I have had times when the food I purchased has expired. It seems like a waste of money to discard expired food, especially when preparing for a disaster scenario. Instead of simply discarding it, there are alternative ways to utilize it.
What is Expired Food?
In this post, we will discuss expired food, but not rotten food. Expired food is food that is past its expiration date, use-by, or sell-by date. Keep in mind that there is a certain amount of time between when food expires and when it actually goes bad. This in-between time is the perfect window of opportunity for you to put expired food to good use.
Is Expired Food Usable?
You will need to trust your senses a little to determine if food is still usable despite being old or if it has gone rotten. If the color or texture has been drastically changed, discard it. If it smells bad or rotten, discard it as well.
Things You Can Do with Expired Food
Obviously, knowing what to do with your expired food depends on the type of food that has expired. Most people are taught that when something is bad, pitch it in the trash, but a prepper knows there is always something you can do. Here are 10 ways you can still use your expired food:
#1 Use it as Fertilizer
One thing I highly recommend is that you be self-sufficient. This means that you have a garden of some kind. When we are solely reliant on the grocery store for our food, we won’t know how to make our own if there is no grocery store.
When you have a garden, you usually need fertilizer, but instead of buying it from the store, you can make your own. Start a compost pile where you can put scraps such as eggs, vegetables, coffee grounds, and other organic materials.
#2 Feed it to the Animals
We used to always give scraps to the pigs, chickens, and dogs. Food that was in the fridge a little too long, but wasn’t rotten, was given to the outside dogs. Keep in mind, you don’t want to provide rotten meat to your dogs or cats since it can make them sick. You will want to check the food for mold or bacteria before giving it to any animals.
#3 Lemons and Limes
Use lemons and limes to make excellent natural cleaners for garbage disposals. Slice them very thin and put a few down the disposal if your disposal is powerful enough.
#4 Use it as a Cosmetic Face Mask or Exfoliant
You may not want to eat expired food, but some foods can be better on your face than a face cleaner. Here are two things you can use as a face mask or exfoliant:
- Greek yogurt: Greek yogurt is full of lactic acid, which helps exfoliate dead skin cells. Mix two tablespoons of yogurt and one tablespoon of honey in a bowl. Then, apply it to your face. Let it sit for 15 minutes and wash it off.
- Coffee: In addition to adding it to your compost, you can also use coffee as a face exfoliator. It is packed with antioxidants. Mix stale coffee grounds with a little bit of milk to form a paste. Then, apply it to your face. Let it sit for 20 minutes and rinse.
#5 Use Spoiled Milk in Baking
So, instead of chucking your spoiled milk, use it in baked goods such as bread, muffins, and cakes. In fact, spoiled milk can be used as a substitute for buttermilk. Please do not use it past 1-2weeks of expiration. I started freezing buttermilk in Souper Cubes!
Here are a few recipes where you can use your spoiled milk:
- Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake
- Soda Bread Recipe
- The Best Cornbread Recipe
- Overnight Hawaiian Bread Egg Bake
Here is some excellent information on Sour versus Spoiled milk. Check out this link: Healthline
#6 Revive Brown Sugar
How many times have you opened your brown sugar only to find it hard and unusable? Please don’t throw it out! Instead, revive it with a blender. You may need to add a few drops of water to help break up the clumps, but even if your brown sugar is past its expiration date, you can soften it up in the blender. Sometimes a piece of bread will soften it up. Make Your Own Brown Sugar. Airtight Glass Jars.
#7 Keep Stale Bread
Obviously, stale bread isn’t delicious to eat, but it is excellent for use as breadcrumbs. Instead of buying bread crumbs at the store, make your own. Pulse a few pieces of stale bread in your blender, add a bit of salt and pepper, and use it as a breading or in your meatloaf. You can also make bread crumbs with stale cereal or crackers: Meatloaf by Linda. Please freeze your breadcrumbs, or you may attract Pantry Moths.
#8 Turn Your Avocados into Shampoo
Nobody wants to eat an avocado past its expiration date, but you can use it to clean and moisturize your hair. Smash up the avocado into a bowl, apply it to wet hair, and then wash it out like you would your regular shampoo or conditioner.
#9 Turn Expired Veggies into Vegetable Stock
Wilted vegetables can be stored in the freezer until you’re ready to use them to make vegetable stock. Once you make them into a stock, you can then can them for a more extended period of time. Or freeze the stock by leaving space at the top of the jar for expansion. Lettuce Keepers
#10 Keep Your Canned Goods
Most canned goods have an expiration date indicating the quality of the food, not necessarily its safety. In the United States, the Department of Agriculture states that acidic foods have a good quality for 18 months, and other canned foods can be good for up to 5 years.
Basically, canned foods are fine to consume even after their expiration date. They may not always taste the best or have much nutritional value after the expiration date, but in most cases, they can be safely consumed up to 5 years after the date.
Botulism in Canned Food or Expired Food
One concern with canned food is the risk of botulism. We typically see this in home-canned food, not what is bought from the store. Please follow the USDA guidelines for home canning. When in doubt, throw it out! Here are a few reasons you should always throw canned food out:
- The can is leaking, has bulges, or is swollen.
- It looks damaged or cracked.
- The container spurts liquid or foam when it is opened.
- If the food smells bad, looks discolored, or is moldy.
10 Things You Can Do with Expired Food
Final Word
Rather than throwing out expired food, try to find a way to use it in another form. If it is rotten, please discard it. What other ways have you found to reuse expired food? Please share with us in the comments below! May God bless this world, Linda
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