Never check a best before date again with these clever tricks to tell if any food is off

THE country is going on a blind date, with supermarkets slashing their “best before” dates in a bid to reduce food waste.

Asda is the latest store to remove it from fresh products as we ditch 4.5million tonnes of grub each year, with much of it is perfectly edible.

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Woman smelling jam in front of fridge full of groceries. Picture taken from the inside of fridge.[/caption]

So how long does food really last?

Here, Josh Saunders reveals the real countdown clock on your everyday items and shares top tips to tell if it’s gone off.

Dairy

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You can tell butter is off if it takes on a pale appearance, stale smell and mold[/caption]

BUTTER

Fridge: 2 weeks.

Freezer: 6-9 months

Is it off? Pale appearance, stale smell and mold.

EGGS
Fridge: 3-4 weeks

Is it off? Sulphur smell and egg white goes clear or pink.

HARD CHEESE

Fridge: 3-6 weeks

Freezer: 6-8 months

Is it off? Dark ­colouring, mold and stronger smell.

YOGHURT

Fridge: 1 week

Freezer: 1 month

Is it off? Watery at top, curdled at bottom, and mold.

Fruit & veg

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Avocado will keep for up to 10 days in the fridge, or 4 days outside it[/caption]

APPLES

Cupboard: 2-4 weeks

Fridge: 1-2 months

Is it off? Wrinkly, discolouration, bruising and mold.

AVOCADO

Cupboard: 3-4 days

Fridge: 7-10 days

Is it off? Brown or black fruit.

BROCCOLI

Fridge (Uncooked ): 7-14 days

Fridge (cooked): 7-9 days

Is it off? Turns yellow, limp. bad smell.

CARROTS
Fridge: 4-5 weeks

Is it off? Mushy/slimy texture.

Baked

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You can store bread in the freezer for around 6 months[/caption]

BREAD

Cupboard: 5-7 days, Freezer: 6 months

Is it off? Moldy growths.

CEREAL

Unopened: 6 months, Opened: 4 months

Is it off? No crackling sound when it’s broken in half.

DRY PASTA

Cupboard: 1-2 years

Is it off? Dull appearance or slimyness.

FROZEN PIZZA

Fridge: 3-5 days

Freezer: 4-6 months

Is it off? Hard and dry texture, foul taste or mold.

Beverages

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White win will keep in the cupboard for up to 2 years, and is only off when it takes on a sour or vinegary taste[/caption]

BEER

Cupboard: 6-9 months

Fridge: 6 months – 2 years

Is it off? No hissing sound on opening, or foam rising.

INSTANT COFFEE

Cupboard: 2-20 years

Freezer: Indefinite

TEA

Cupboard: 6-12 months

Fridge: 1-2 years

WINES

Red (cupboard): 2-3 years, Fridge (opened): 1-2 weeks

White (cupboard:) 1-2 years

Fridge (opened): 1-3 days

Is it off? Sour/ vinegary taste.

Meat & fish

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Salmon will keep for up to 9 months in the freezer, or around 2 days in the fridge[/caption]

BACON

Fridge (unopened): 1-2 weeks

Freezer (unopened): 6-8 months

Is it off? Grey, slimy flesh/sour smell.

CHICKEN

Fridge (uncooked): 1-2 days

Freezer (uncooked ): 1 year

Is it off? Dull, slimy flesh and smell.

SAUSAGES

Fridge: 1-2 days

Frozen: 6-8 months

Is it off? Grey/sour scent.

SALMON & COD

Fridge: 1-2 days

Freezer: 6-9 months

Is it off? Slimy flesh and sour smell.

Other

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You can tell a jam is off if it is watery on top and firm below, unpleasant smell or mold.[/caption]

CHOCOLATE

Cupboard: 2-4 months

Fridge: 4-6 months

Is it off? White patches on edges.

JAMS

Cupboard: 6-12 months

Opened – fridge: 1 year

Is it off? Watery on top and firm below, unpleasant smell or mold.

KETCHUP

Cupboard (unopened): 1-2 years

Fridge (opened): 1 years

Is it off? Watery and thicker in parts, dark maroon colour and bad taste.