Stuff containing fresh milk and cream I am very cautious about; yoghurt I check it as with yoghurt it is unlikely to go off or mouldy but just go so sour it isn't nice to eat; but fruit and veggies etc I have used long past the date, UHT milk, tinned food etc is also usually fine but I never use those more than 3 months out of date just in case. Spices and sauces (those that don't require refrigerating) I have kept until a couple of years out of date; with them its more a risk that the flavour will completely dissapate from them as opposed to being a real risk with going off. Same with dried lentils and beans; all that will happen with them is the skins will go a bit wrinkled or they will take increasingly long to soak and cook; but they don't actually go off and can last for many years. I have also used wholemeal bread flour; which I stored in an airtight container immediately after opening; a year and a half out of date, the bread it made was fine and actually quite tasty, you can tell when flour is past its best as it goes clumpy and smells stale. A lot of the best before dates are based on most people maybe not storing food in the most optimum way possible, if stored properly many foods can stay in tip top condition for much longer. xx
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