How much attention do you really pay to the expiration date on your food? Researchers from Consumer Reports magazine say you may have more time to eat that cheese or yogurt than the expiration date indicates.
But experts say Americans toss out more than 120 pounds of food each month, food that's still safe to consume simply based on use by or sell by dates.
When it comes to your food's shelf life, experts say eggs can last weeks past the use by date as long as they're stored in the original packaging.
Hard cheeses can last for months in the fridge.
Canned goods can last years. As for cold cuts, they usually last one week past the use by date.
Frozen raw meat that's whole, not ground, is edible for about a year after the expiration date. Frozen ground meat will hold for about three months.
