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What Happens When You Eat Expired Food?

Things like hard salami, marshmallows, butter and previously frozen meats last anywhere from four to six weeks past their best-by date when stored properly in the fridge or freezer. So don’t be afraid to grab that carton of eggs that have been sitting in your refrigerator for a month – as long as they don’t give off any odd odours, they should still be okay!- Said my neighbor who helps us with our farm and handling of spices.

Nothing worst than to find your child in pain " I ate expired food, and my stomach hurts." My mom once found me that way in early teens. So is it worth the risk? Or is it possible to reuse the expired food for a bit longer instead of throwing it and wasting it?

Only one way to find out! Continue reading!


Can you die from eating expired food?

Ohh, the burning question. That's your priorities being straight. The worst way to go is by eating expiry food.

Well, that would be a bit dramatic. You won't die, but there's no telling about the long-term effects of continuing to eat expired food just because you have been fine so far. But it's important to know what can happen if you eat food past its expiration date. Depending on the type of food and how it's been stored, expired food can cause digestive upset, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, or worse. And because most unhealthy bacteria thrive in warm temperatures like those in your fridge, waiting until it doesn't smell "off" isn't always enough.

That's why it pays to pay attention to expiry dates and give old groceries the heave-ho!


What happens if you eat expired food?

Let me tell you a personal story!

Ugh, I can hardly believe this happened. I was enjoying an early morning snack of chips, and it turned out the bag was expired! Honestly, I didn't think anything of it; I figured the chips were just a bit stale, but I can tell you I have never been more wrong. As soon as I finished the chips, I could feel it in my stomach - I had eaten expired food, and my stomach was paying the price!

Guess what happened?

Food poisoning! That's what! I was in excruciating pain, and it took me one week to fully recover. Don't let me go overboard with the distasteful hospital food I had to consume and, yeah, the diarrhoea! I haven't had any insane bravery since then to be like," it just expired yesterday; how bad can it be?" and munch on expired bread, let alone expired chips. It's clear to me now why no one would dare to do such a thing; if you eat expired chips, you can only expect one thing - regret. Who knew snacks could cause so much trouble?

The results of eating expired food can be linked to temperature; it can go from zero to a hundred. This means that it can have zero effect on you; it could have mild effects like sour or unpleasant tastes in the mouth and foul smell.

Also, the effect could cause a slight stomach ache, and it can then lead to full-blown food poisoning where you could vomit your intestines all over the place or you could be going to the gents once every five minutes for three straight days. And it can get to the extreme level of death; though such extreme cases of food poisoning are rare, it happens.

My mom, on the other hand, is a different story. She says, "But there are expired food and spoiled foods; the food might have passed its “best before” date, but it still looks good, and the taste hasn’t gone bad; it’s expired, not spoiled. " She refuses to throw away the expired bread. She insists bread can be consumed a maximum of 3 days after the expiry date if properly refrigerated.


Some food can be consumed even after they are technically expired.

Ever wonder how far past its expiration date you can eat something and still be safe? Surprisingly, many items remain edible for days (or even weeks) beyond the stamped date. Some self-proclaimed experts will tell you expiration dates indicate food quality, not how safe the product is to consume.

But I am not that expert. I am biased by my personal experience so don't count on me to give you that hope. Not today!

The consensus in my family from my grandma to my mother and even my sisters, is that most foods can last from days to months past their “best by” or “sell by” dates – depending on how they’re stored and how quickly you consume them. A doctor in the nutrition department can tell me that they won't still sell me expired candy.

Things like hard salami, marshmallows, butter and previously frozen meats last anywhere from four to six weeks past their best-by date when stored properly in the fridge or freezer. So don’t be afraid to grab that carton of eggs that have been sitting in your refrigerator for a month – as long as they don’t give off any odd odours, they should still be okay!- Said my neighbour who helps us with our farm and handling of spices.

We will cover some foods that can be consumed after the expiration date and even go into detail about how to store them later. (Of course, backed by research) Keep an eye out for that.

But here, it's more about food poisoning. This is my expired food villain origin story!



Some common foods can cause food poisoning if they're eaten after their expiration date.

Nobody likes playing Russian roulette with their digestive system, so it’s always important to check your food’s expiration date before you chow down!

Some of the most common culprits for making us sick when eaten out-of-date are dairy products - milk, yoghurt, and cheese - and deli meats, chicken and other cooked proteins. Most cooked grains like rice and pasta can also succumb to food poisoning if not stored properly or eaten past their prime. Any food with garlic and onion goes bad after a day or two. It would help if you stopped eating leftover pizza and cake after three days, not to mention that oh so loved Naan roti!

Unless your grandma passed down some ninja technique on storing them for two years after expiry dates, don't trust random internet people who tell you groceries are held for months before they even make it to your groceries nearby and are still safe to consume. Nope, they are lying!

It pays to be smart and stay on top of expiration dates - your stomach will thank you!


Can organic spice save expired food?

If you believe adding a bit of organic spice can bring dead food back to life, you may as well be wielding a magical wand. Let's face it - once food has expired, nothing will help it taste as good and nourishing as it would have if you had enjoyed it before the expiration date.

Of course, adding organic spices won't harm and can mask the flavor of food gone bad - some would say it's an act of desperation since nothing else will save the day! So no matter how many spices you sprinkle on top, remember that this isn't a cooking competition where points get added for originality; stale food is still stale and should be disposed of as soon as possible.

Organic spice won't save spoiled food but can protect you from food poisoning if you have eaten expired food.


Some Spices to Save You From Food Poisoning, JUST IN CASE!

Spices flavour food differently, organic spices add heat to food, and they uniquely make pepperish, such that you notice your airways are clearer when you ingest them. They also affect the smell of the food, which we need to savor expired food.

Let us learn about such organic spices:


  • Turmeric is considered a sibling to ginger, but turmeric comes in a more vibrant goldish-yellow color. You can say it is more pungent than ginger in taste, aroma, and heat. Turmeric is one of the major organic spices from Sri Lanka {formally called Ceylon}; turmeric is an essential ingredient in preparing curry powder.

The powdery turmeric is also easy to apply to a wide range of food and requires no additional preparation. It can be sprinkled on food, snack, or expired milk. Ground turmeric can be added to tea.



  • Cinnamon: Cinnamon is one of the go-to spices for flavouring food because it sweetens food. They are two types, cassia cinnamon which originates from China, and Ceylon cinnamon which originates from Ceylon, now known as Sri Lanka. Ceylon cinnamon is one of the organic spices from Sri Lanka, and it is considered rarer and more premium than cassia cinnamon.

Cinnamon is also beneficial for someone suffering from the effects of food poisoning, like nausea and stomach ache.



  • Ceylon Nutmeg: There are various nutmegs in the world market, but we are focusing on Ceylon nutmegs which are organic spices from Sri Lanka. Ceylon nutmegs are unique in their chemical compositions and are mostly used to sweeten food.

To get the best out of the nutmeg, use the ground to give us the exact effect we want, just like the ones we got from the best organic turmeric powder and cinnamon powder. To alleviate symptoms that result from food poisoning, nutmeg tea can be prepared for the person. Nutmegs help against nausea, vomiting, and stomach upsets.


Don't take chances with expired food - it's not worth the risk!

From day-old leftovers to year-old munchies, we all have at least one food item in our fridge that's past its use-by date. But let me be clear: not all expired foods are equal, and you should think twice before digging into something past its prime.

Eating food that has gone bad isn't just gross - it may also contain bacteria and make your chances of getting sick more likely. So be sure to keep an eye out on the expiration dates of foods in your home, and if you're ever unsure, throw it away! It may seem like a waste, but trust me – the pain of throwing something away is far better than the perils of eating expired food.

Have I made myself clear? Yes!

I rest my case here!


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