Have you ever had some leftovers you knew you probably shouldn’t eat but took the risk and paid for it?? I have. One time I accidentally left my favorite pork burrito sitting out for a couple hours too long. I completely forgot about it and then when I got a hungry again and couple hours later I went looking for it only to not find it in the fridge but on the counter. Bum Bum Buuuuuuuummmm.

We were about to leave to go look at some model homes but I decided to eat it. What harm could a couple hours have really done? When we arrived at the first house I felt a rumbling in my tummy. Oh…..that kind of harm. Oh no! Since this mistake I don’t take a chance on this kind of thing. Food Poisoning is NO FUN!

Here are a few other food items to not take the risk on past their expiration dates.

Ground Meats

Ground beef is an unpredictable meat, in both its preservation and preparation. Of course, we all know it’s crucial to cook it well to avoid getting sick. Yet, few people know you must very closely monitor its expiration date. Expired ground beef is more likely to be contaminated by staphylococcus aureus or salmonella. The result: you could get food poisoning, or worse!

You should take the same precautions with ground pork. If you don’t and you eat expired meat, you are increasing the chances of contracting various diseases, such as food poisoning. Some people, who have fragile immune systems, even risk losing their life.

Seafood

Fish. Just like with ground beef, never play Russian roulette with fish. Once you’ve reached the expiration date, you’ll need to eat it or throw it away. Otherwise, you will be multiplying your chances of getting listeriosis, a disease that causes abdominal pain, diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting. This is particularly dangerous for pregnant women, as it can cause miscarriage.

Shrimp. Like most seafood, shrimp are fragile. Even when you respect the expiration date, if they were poorly stored or handled, they could have been contaminated by bacteria when fished. To reduce the risk of contamination, always abide by the expiration date.

Clams and Oysters cannot be stored for long. A shelled clam lasts up to three days in the fridge, while without a shell it will last for just 24 hours. After that, they will start to smell strongly and become inedible.

Scallops must be consumed within 24 hours of being purchased. Beyond that, they can affect your health by causing food poisoning, among other things. To have them last longer, you can freeze them.

Produce

Pre-made salads

The pre-made salads found at the grocery store are wonderful, as long as you consume them before their expiration date! Given that they may have been grown near contaminated water, they could be full of bacteria that will have had sufficient time to multiply. In any case, lettuce leaves quickly wilt and become unappetizing.

Raspberries are highly perishable. It is recommended that they be eaten shortly after being purchased. Otherwise, they will deteriorate and transform into a sort of unappetizing purée, which is an opportune environment for the multiplication of cyclospora cayetanensis, bacteria that causes cyclosporiasis, a disease that has several symptoms similar to those of food poisoning.

Strawberries don’t keep more than three days in the refrigerator. Thereafter, they become quite soft and shriveled. They are also susceptible to transform into a hotbed for bacteria. If you expose them to heat, they will last even less time.

Soft cheese

With most hard cheeses, you can cut off the mold and eat the rest. However, with soft cheeses, like feta or brie, it’s not a good idea to do so. This type of cheese is more susceptible to listeria monocytogenes, the bacteria that causes listeriosis.

Milk

Pasteurization eliminates most bacteria present in milk. However, there is nothing to guarantee that the milk wasn’t contaminated thereafter. For example, it may have been poorly stored at the grocery store, which may have allowed certain bacteria to multiply. Drinking sour milk increases your risk of suffering from food poisoning. The symptoms are many: stomach cramps, nausea, fever, and diarrhea. If you still feel like pouring yourself a glass of expired milk, check the texture and taste.

Chicken

Chicken must be well cooked and properly stored to avoid any health problems. Chicken eaten after its expiration date could be contaminated by E. coli, bacteria that cause many diseases like gastroenteritis, meningitis, and urinary infections. Plus, you can’t trust its appearance when it comes to deciding whether the chicken is still good or not. It’s best to go by the date written on the packaging.

Eggs

Normally, you should never eat a rotten egg. There is, however, a simple trick to determine whether an egg is still fresh: drop it into a bowl of water and watch what happens. If it floats, this means you need to throw it away, and if it sinks you should be able to consume it no problem.

Bean sprouts

Bean sprouts are essential to Asian cuisine. Unfortunately, they go bad very quickly, especially when left in their sealed packaging. It is recommended that you store them in a brown paper bag in the refrigerator and wait two days at most before eating them.