My first "Can I eat it" question

March 18, 2023 9:31 AM

Kroger Simple Truth Chicken Stock: although I have one that is fat free, and one that low sodium.

The "Best By" date is July 2021.

My understanding is that canned goods keep for years, but this isn't actually in a can. Apparently, it is in an "aseptic" container.

It has not been opened. If I can use it, I would make turkey soup with it this weekend, and then I would eat the soup during the week.

posted by NotLost to Food & Drink (9 answers total)

This recent article at Eater may answer your question. Lost in the Stock. Figuring out what’s actually in a box of chicken stock shouldn’t be that hard. Right? Or maybe, TMI.
posted by Rash at 10:03 AM on March 18, 2023 [4 favorites]

I am one of the food paranoids of Metafilter. I would use them without second thought as long as they didn't smell off, particularly the fat free one. It is theoretically possible that if there's fat in the low sodium one (there probably isn't, most commercial broths are fat free) that the fat could have gone rancid. A small taste test before using will tell you whether it has or not.
posted by Candleman at 10:07 AM on March 18, 2023 [1 favorite]

I’m not sure it will be unsafe but I think it might have a lot of sediment and the flavor might be off. And honestly, if I’m going through the effort of making a soup, I’d want a good stock. (TBH a better stock that Kroger in the first place.)
posted by vunder at 10:27 AM on March 18, 2023

I wouldn't do it. I would if it was a vegetable product, but not with animal protein.
And I'm someone who eats "old" food all the time.
posted by mumimor at 10:42 AM on March 18, 2023

I would have no hesitation about eating it if unopened.
posted by toodleydoodley at 10:43 AM on March 18, 2023

Best by nearly two years ago is pretty crap by now. I'd feed that one to the garden and buy a new one for me.
posted by flabdablet at 12:05 PM on March 18, 2023 [3 favorites]

Safe? Almost certainly. Tasty? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
posted by donpardo at 1:12 PM on March 18, 2023 [6 favorites]

We drank condensed milk out of those containers that was 6 months off and it tasted okay but we got diarrhea, both of us. They aren’t as good as cans.
posted by pairofshades at 10:13 PM on March 18, 2023 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: I guess I will toss it. Thanks, all.
posted by NotLost at 9:29 AM on March 19, 2023