Do You Check Expiration Dates on the Food You Purchase?

Always... but I'm constantly finding out of date items on SHELVES since the grocery revolution a couple years ago. Used to happen before occasionally, but now (and I shop at 5 different stores), it happens EVERY time I shop except at trader joes and whole foods. Every other store? Stockers are putting new things in front, and the old is being shoved in back. I've found milk 2 MONTHS out of date (I wasn't even buying milk, but was buying orange juice next to it), hotdogs that expired in 2010 (this was just a few weeks ago), and countless things a week or two past their date.

Ugh.

Gross.

.

I usually only check dairy products or bread and package dates for meat. Canned goods, I tend not to really look too hard, because they are always 2 years out or more anyway. But bread, milk, yogurt, etc, I do look...because I HAVE found items on the store shelves that were ALREADY expired and still for sale. :/ And I don't mean the "sell by" date, I mean a "use by" date.
I will glance over several items and if they all have the same date, then I will just get one. If one or two have one date, and others have later dates, I will reach in back for the one with the later expiration. It is fresher and will keep longer at home if we don't use it right away. :)
When I was much younger (20?) I didn't always look, except for milk, but then I didn't buy yogurt and such then either. LOL

ETA: And I ALWAYS check dates on milk from fast food or restaurants (if they bring it in the container to the table).... once when my daughter was a toddler, McD's or somewhere gave me an expired milk with her kid's meal. I promptly handed it back to them. No thank you!

I usually check on meats, milk, eggs, yogurt, cottage cheese....those kinds of things. Perishables.

Milk is the only thing I check the date on, nothing like a big mouth full of....
I should check more items, but I don't think of it.

I always check everything. Even cans. Just out of habit I suppose, since a long time ago I bought a can of kidney beans that was expired. I mean really!? Those things are good for like 2 years! The store manager said it was accidentally left out when the rest were pulled. Probably wouldnt have killed me if we ate them, but still. Since then, I check every time.

I check milk, yogurt, and cottage cheese always. Only had to get burned on those once to learn my lesson!

The only other sutff I check is the mgrs specials. I always buy the day old veggies, bakery items, and preseaseoned meats at the butcher counter. I check to see if there is still a couple days left on them so I don't waste money trying to save money.

I never used to do it, but then lived in a city where the main grocery store always stocked expired food. After bringing home expired food about five times, it became a habit and now I always check!

I always forget to check dates and I can't tell you the number of times I come home with expired food. The worst was I brought home protein shakes that expired a year before I bought them. I seem to always get the one expired item the store missed when clearing the shelfs because when I go back to exchange all the other items are good.

I've learned the hard way....too many times. I check almost every date on perishables in the store. Especially dairy and meats. But, believe me...I forget to do it everytime and am so damn mad at myself when I do! :) And sending hubs to the store? Forget it! Lol.

Added: You should really check dates on yogurt and milk at hotels!!!! I've found outdated yogurt at almost EVERY hotel we've stayed at. Grrrr.

I always check the dates on meat and usually dairy as well.

I don't check every single item -- depends on the store -- but I do check them more than I once did. I learned my lesson when I bought a box of snack bars (which should last ages, right?) at a grocery store, opened one, and found it covered in fuzzy mold. The box was about 10 months out of date. I returned it right away and would never buy anything at that particular store that I didn't check.

If a store is older, or declining (the one above is probably going to be closed sometime, I'm sure, because Wal-Mart moved in next door), I would check dates for sure, even on items that should have long shelf lives like snack bars. But a thriving, reputable stores where I shop often, I might not be as cautious because I'm in those stores a lot and know their stock and how much it turns over.

Yes I check everything. Got caught too many times buying almost expired or even expired things.

only on milk and the prepackaged salad mixes. Otherwise ... nope.

Yes, and I even pop the tops off stuff like cottage cheese and sour cream and run my fingers around the seal because I opened one one time and the seal had been breached. The store would not take it back so it went into the trash.

Always!! Darn the ocd!!

I have certain things I check the dates on ... mostly perishables, the rest I do not. I check the date on canned goods that are meant to last longer than a month and I check on medicine. So if it does not go into the fridge, or eaten that month, or if it is medication I check the date otherwise I am not too particular.

Milk, never since we drink it within a week and the expiration dates are always well after.
Yogurt, yes since sometimes we don't eat it too often. Same goes for eggs.

Other than that, not really. Sometimes when I grab it out of the fridge or freezer I do if I know it's been there a while.

I faithfully check on every single item. Even vitamins, dry goods, etc. I get the furthest date out that they have. =)

Hmm...the only thing I check the dates on mainly is the milk. Sometimes it goes quickly and other times it goes bad - just depends. So that is a time when being 6'1 helps!

I get on my tip toes and look WAY in the back to get the furthest out date. I also shop at the commissary on base and so normally the dates are not as far out, but it saves me a ton of money.

Nothing else really because I know we'll use it.

I check dairy and meat.

I have to say I am obsessed with food dates. If you pay attention and check the dates you will waste less. I always check bread dates and pick the best date. Milk, yogurt, cream cheese, juices. I am always amazed at the almost expired food still on the shelves. Now if I could just get my husband to do the same....:) I also write dates on things put in the frige after opening. My husband will eat anything but I don't like to chance it. Salsa after being open for 7 days needs to go out. For him ...if it's not moldy , it's good. Yuck!