I'm a glancer at dates & a smell & taste kinda person when it comes to refrigerated items. Dates to me are a guideline, common sense is my cornerstone. Never made my family sick since I've had them, lol. My guinea pigs (so to speak) are my testament, lol. :laugh: I very rarely ever ever throw anything out in my refrigerator. I look & see what I have & make dinner, leftovers & condiments included. If someone were to ask me what leftovers, food, condiments, etc. I've thrown out due to spoilage etc in the past 22 years it would not fit a garbage bag. No lie.

 

I keep condiments until they run out or we move. I don't think I've ever looked at the date on any of them (mayo excluded).

 

Monkeywrangler71 and I are in the same boat. With the exception of mayo (which is never in the refrig that long) I never throw away any condomints. But I use them often.

Laurie in Bradenton

 

The only condiment I've ever had to throw away has been horseradish, which I only use at Christmas/Thanksgiving time.

 

Oh dear, accept for the mayo, I fear some of my condiments could tell a great deal of my life story. I don't think highly salted/vinegar condiments like mustard could really go bad. I think it's a very hostile environment for bacterial growth.

 

Mayo is actually not as much a danger as most people think. Partially because of the vinegar and the way it's processed.

Check this out (PDF)
The Truth about Mayonaisse

 

I keep them til I look on them and they are past their date!

 

If something reaches the "best by" date on it - then we throw it out. However, rarely does tha happen. We buy soy sauce, BBQ sauce, mayo, mustard and ketchup in the super big restaurant size containers and still use them up in a couple of months.

 

I'm thinking that I better clean out my fridge this week.

 

The only thing we ever throw out because it is past it's date is tarter sauce. Other than that, until they are gone or till they fail the look, smell, taste test.

 

For those with extra dressing and sauces in your refrig. Use them as marniades and glazes on meats. Add them to meatloaves and hamburgers.
As the weather gets colder add them to stews, soups and chowders. Gives things alittle new flavor that maybe getting old to your family.
When I make my homemade beef-a-roni I often will add the last of the ketcup bottle, mustard and hot sauces. Also to chili I add BBQ sauces to keep them from growing too old. Ranch, French and Thousand Island dressings make great chicken and fish toppings.
Laurie in Bradenton

 

It's funny.... I do the refrig. clean out when I make sloppy joes! Everything goes in it... 1000 Island dressing, French dressing, mustard, catsup, BBQ sauce, jelly/jam, salsa, hot sauce, breakfast syrup; 1000 Island dressing, French dressing goes in potato and mac salads too, along with Ranch dressing, coleslaw dressing, mayo, mustard, horseradish, (ssshh, don't tell anyone or they won't eat it!!). I don't usually go by dates because nothing really lasts that long, except what YankeeMom said, the horseradish, but that's because I'm the only one that will eat that (or so they think). I don't throw out much tartar sauce because I make my own as needed, and even that ends up being put on other sandwiches because it's just mayo and pickle relish and that could go in a potato/mac salad too if there was any leftover.

I would think that stuff like soy sauce or worcestershire sauce would last almost indefinitely because of the salt/sodium content. I do know that hot sauce (like Frank's) does go bad if not refrigerated (roomie bought a gallon jug one time and it went bad before he could use it -- eeeewwww!!)

The only hard and fast rule here is if it looks icky or the bottle/jar looks icky, it gets tossed.

 

dh doesnt really like anything on his stuff. he has always been a "dry" kind of guy. LOL. i eat everything plain and dry so.. that gives you a metal picture of what our fridge door looks like. anyway.. i do love love love ketchup. not on anything crazy like salad and things but when it comes to chicken, fries, burgers... i gotta have it. never on the actual food though. i need it on the side, i love to dip! dh doesnt do ketchup. anyway.. i go thru alot and very quickly so.. dates are usually a problem for me. even when i stock up on it.

 

You're supposed to throw them out? I even moved some of them with us last month - so I cannot even say that I throw them out when I move......
Oh, I suppose I have thrown out a few in my life.....I can remember a salad dressing that was WAY to far past it's prime...