Over the weekend, I went to make a dish that involved tarragon-infused olive oil. I had some in the cupboard, but couldn't remember the last time I used it. A quick glance at the date shocked me; it had expired in 2009! At that very moment, I decided to check the dates on the items in the cupboard. It was surprising how many oils and sauces had expired — all of the ones in the picture! It was Read more

I've always wondered what exactly an expiration date means on a drug. Does it become less effective? Could it poison me? Obviously, there's a big difference in those two things, so I was glad to see this NPR story that sheds some light on drug expiration dates. Just because a drug is past its expiration date doesn't necessarily mean you should toss it. Many states require drug labels to carry an Read more

The other day, I was reaching for my bag of flour and accidentally knocked a tower of three cans of baking powder to the floor. Luckily, none of them opened or spilled, but when I was picking them up, I noticed something I'd never seen before — an expiration date. While I always think to check the expiration date on foods that expire quickly (like eggs and milk), I rarely remember to look at Read more

Whenever I look in the fridge and realize I have a carton full of eggs that are about to expire, I hard boil them. Hard boiled eggs are an easy snack that can last in the fridge for up to a week. They are also great in salads or sandwiches. After boiling the eggs, I do what my dad does and write the date on the shell. That way I'll know how old the hard boiled eggs are. Do you enjoy hard boiled Read more