I have a pack of cottage cheese in the fridge Best By today but don't need it till Sunday . Can it be frozen to extend it's life ? TIA.
nfh1,
May 3, 5:56am
What are you going to do with it? I would not freeze it for eating cold as it will lose its texture and go watery, but if you were cooking with it, it may be ok - possibly!
245sam,
May 3, 6:00am
solarboy, what is it that you intend to use the cottage cheese for? I occasionally freeze surplus cottage cheese and then use it in a Cottage Cheese Meat Loaf but I have never used the previously frozen cottage cheese 'as is' so I can't advise you how it would be to be used in that way after freezingBUTthe cottage cheese that you have for Sunday should be ok without any need for it to be frozen providing that it has been kept refrigerated and preferably unopened - personally, on this occasion, I would not freeze the cottage cheese to "extend its life".
Hope that helps. :-))
lilyfield,
May 3, 6:40am
It will keep till Sunday. My cottagecheese is often three or even 4 weeks over the date.
solarboy,
May 3, 9:17am
Thanks folks. We'll leave it in the fridge then as it is unopened and will go into protein pancakes next Sunday . Lilyfield that sounds very useful to keep in mind as it often seems to have a loomingly close Best By when we get it. Doubt we'll need to make it go 3 or 4 weeks over but that's certainly a handy margin.
245sam,
May 3, 9:46am
solarboy, the advice that lilyfield has given re the cottage cheese applies to all/most of the cultured dairy productssuch as sour cream, cream cheese, yoghurt and, of course, cottage cheese. In general they're all ok to use up to a month past their 'best before date', sometimes even longer - I use smell and look as THE guide as to whether it/they're ok and providing there's no obvious deterioration such as mould or discolouration, and the product smells ok, then I use 'it'. :-))
nfh1,
May 3, 9:54am
You are braver than me, just the thought that the product was 3 to 4 weeks past the date would put me off!
245sam,
May 3, 9:59am
nfh1, the date shown on those products is a 'Best Before', not a 'Use By' date and, from personal experience, I can absolutely promise you that the products as in #6 are ALL ok and quite safe to eat that far (3-4 weeks) past 'THE' date - provided they look and smell ok. :-))
nfh1,
May 3, 10:02am
I am sure you are right 245sam, it is just the thought of it - especially dairy! I am surprised there is not a Use By Date on these type of products.
anne1955,
May 3, 10:37am
They are made to be cover Govt reg's they are best before not will kill you after. . I only buy mine when at mark down price at due by or just over dates like cheese and many other things. . we don't even want to go down the fish issue. . ask any commercial fisherman. . look you are more than safe with a week or two if mould is growing rmove it... use staright away 30 years in the supermarket industry... . if you are worried toss it... if it anit nasty try it... :)
solarboy,
May 3, 12:28pm
I can vouch for the Best By on packet soups to be just a user guide and not an indicator of their suitability for consimption. A winter or two ago i used up an assortment of flavors and brands up to 8 or 9 YEARS past their best by date with no ill effects and plenty of taste still ! :-)
ferita,
May 3, 6:17pm
I always freeze it but I only ever use it for cooking never for eating plain. It comes out weird looking after being frozen but cooks well
nfh1,
May 3, 8:18pm
It is probably more psychological for me, if I think it could be off it puts me off! Especially if cooking for someone else, I would hate to make someone ill by using 'off' products.
indigojo,
May 3, 8:28pm
"best before" is a quality issue, "use by" is a health issue. I brought 500g of sour cream for $1. 89 the other day as it was short dated to 5 May, but it will probably last a good couple of weeks past that. I do know lots of people that waste so much food because they don't understand the best before/use by labels... inc my MIL who throws out meat if its been frozen for more than 1 month! ! ! (can't help some people though aye? ! )...
elliehen,
Mar 30, 1:44am
I have an ancient jar of whole spices pickling mix that I've kept just for ornament and aroma for over 20 years, and recently raided it for a few whole chillis for tomato relish... but then, haven't archaeologists found viable seeds in Pharaoh's tombs?
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