Shelf Life & Product Date Labeling

The USDA estimates we waste 30 percent of all food due to consumers throwing away wholesome food due to expiration dates. Manufacturers provide dating to help consumers decide when food is of best quality. With the exception of infant formula, dates are not an indicator of the product’s safety and are not actually required by federal law.

Examples of commonly used phrases:

“Best if Used By/Before” indicates when a product will be of best flavor or quality. It is not a date determined for safety. “Sell–By” date tells the store how long to display the product for sale for inventory management. It is not a safety date. “Use–By” date is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. It is not a safety date, except when used on infant formula.

HELPFUL REMINDERS:

Shelf Life & Product Date Labeling With the exception of infant formula, if the date passes during home storage, a product should still be safe and wholesome if handled properly until the time spoilage is obvious. Spoiled foods will develop an off odor, flavor or texture due to naturally occurring spoilage bacteria. Spoilage bacteria cause foods to develop unpleasant characteristics, but do not cause illness. A change in the color of meat or poultry is not actually an indicator of spoilage. Some state egg laws may require a “Sell-By” or “Expiration” date, but it is not a federal regulation. Cans must exhibit a code or the date of canning, which is mainly used as a way to track the product. These codes are not meant for the consumer to interpret as a “Best if Used By” date. Cans that are dented, rusted or swollen should be discarded. In an effort to reduce food waste, put your newer items in the back of your refrigerator or pantry. That way, older items will be front and center and you’ll be more likely to use them before they go bad. It’s important that consumers understand that food products are usually safe to consume past the date on the label. Evaluate the quality of your food products prior to eating, and discard if there are noticeable changes in wholesomeness. NOTE: Do not buy or use baby formula after its “Use-By” date. To learn more, check out Food Safety and Inspection Service’s information on food product dates.

Cleaning and Sanitizing

Illness causing bacteria can survive in many places around your kitchen, such as your hands, utensils and cutting boards. Reduce the risk of spreading bacteria to your food and your family by washing your hands, utensils and surfaces often and the right way.
  • Wash your hands briskly for at least 20 seconds with warm running water and plain soap.
  • Rinse them well and dry them with a clean towel.
Everyone in your family should always wash their hands: o Before eating food. o Before, during and after preparing food. o Before and after treating a cut or wound. o Before and after caring for someone who is sick. o After handling uncooked eggs or raw meat, poultry or seafood. o After blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. o After touching an animal. o After touching garbage. o After using the toilet. Bacteria can also be spread throughout your kitchen if food contact surfaces and utensils are not cleaned and sanitized frequently. Remember these tips to alleviate the spread of bacteria in your home:
  • After preparing each food item, thoroughly wash your cutting boards, dishes, utensils and countertops.
  • Use a clean cloth to wipe up spills and kitchen surfaces.
  • And as an extra precaution, add one tablespoon of liquid chlorine bleach to one gallon of water and use it to sanitize washed surfaces and utensils in your home kitchen.
For additional Food Safety cleaning facts, refer to foodsafety.gov.

Cooking Temperature Basics

One way to stay safe is to make sure you’re cooking foods to the right temperatures. Cook all food to these minimum internal temperatures, and always use a food thermometer to confirm they are done. (You may choose to cook food to higher temperatures based on personal preference.)

Cooking Temperature Chart
If you have a question about meat, poultry or egg products, call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline toll free at 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854). The Hotline is open year-round Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET (English or Spanish). Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day. Check out the Food Safety Inspection Service’s website at www.fsis.usda.gov.

Leftovers 101

Leftovers 101 Many of us rely on leftovers to get though our busy week! Use the tips below to safely handle leftovers and protect your family from foodborne illness.
  • Place your leftovers in a shallow container, less than two inches deep, to cool quickly because bacteria grows rapidly at warmer temperatures.
  • Refrigerate foods within two hours of preparation. This rule changes to one hour when the temperature is above 90°F. Remember, the clock starts ticking as soon as your food is done cooking.
  • Try to use leftovers within two to three days or freeze them for longer storage.
  • It’s very important to reheat leftovers to an internal temperature of 165°F before you eat them.
  • Always use a food thermometer to verify the temperature of your leftovers.
Read the USDA’s tips on leftovers and food safety.

Keeping Your Food at the Right Temperature

The bacteria that causes food poisoning multiplies rapidly in the “Danger Zone” between 40°F and 140°F. Cold temperatures slow the growth of harmful bacteria, so always aim to keep your food cold! Keeping Your Food at the Right Temperature Here are some tips to remember when getting your groceries from the store to your refrigerator at home:
  • Shop our non-perishable aisles first, and then head to our refrigerated and frozen aisles.
  • Load perishables into an air-conditioned car, not your trunk.
  • Unload perishable items first and refrigerate or freeze them as soon as you get home.
  • Discard perishables left at room temperature for longer than two hours. This rule changes to one hour when the temperature is above 90°F, and remember, this includes travel time.
  • Check the temperature of your refrigerator and freezer using an appliance thermometer. Your refrigerator should be keeping a constant temperature of 40°F or below and the freezer should stay at 0°F.
  • The safest way to thaw food is in the refrigerator. Place thawing item in a container so thawing liquids don’t drip on other foods.
Make sure to check out the USDA’s Cold Storage Chart to see how long specific foods should be kept refrigerated or frozen.

Four Food Handling Behaviors for Food Safety at Home

Four Food Handling Behaviors for Food Safety at Home These four simple steps will keep your kitchen healthy! 1. Clean: Clean kitchen surfaces, utensils and hands with soap and water while preparing food. 2. Separate: Separate raw meats from vegetables and other ready-to-eat foods by using different cutting boards to avoid cross contamination. 3. Cook: Cook foods to the right temperature by using a food thermometer. This is the most efficient way to make sure your food has reached a safe temperature. 4. Chill: Chill raw and prepared foods promptly if you don’t plan to consume them right after cooking. We encourage you to also take a look at some additional tips on how to keep your food safe and your family healthy.

Top Five Paleo Substitutions

Eating a paleo diet doesn’t mean you have to miss out on your favorite foods. Feeling restricted is never fun … have no fear, there are plenty of great substitutions so you can still enjoy your favorite recipes!

Healthy Fats

Paleo Healthy Fats - Avocado OilVegetable and canola oils are out! Good-for-you traditional fats are in! It’s really easy to substitute fats with paleo cooking. Make sure to use quality, sustainably sourced fats so you get all of the health benefits.
  • Animal Fats – sustainably sourced and organic preferably
  • Avocado Oil – great for higher-temp cooking, baking, salads, mayonnaise
  • Coconut Oil – when heated, mixes well into soups, warm drinks, smoothies
  • Extra Virgin Olive Oil – great for salads, best when not heated
  • Ghee / Clarified Butter – lactose free, great for higher-temp cooking
  • Grass-fed Butter – great for cooking and baking
  • Palm Oil – sustainably sourced, great for higher-temp cooking
  • Palm Oil Shortening – sustainably sourced, great for baking and frostings
 

Paleo Baking

Paleo - Baking FlourBaked goods are usually one thing that people wonder about when it comes to the paleo lifestyle. While paleo baking does take a little bit of experimenting to find out what you like best, it’s absolutely doable! Everything from muffins, to cakes and tortillas can easily be converted using some grain-free substitutions.
  • Blanched Almond Flour – can usually be substituted 1:1 for refined white flour
  • Cassava Flour – can usually be substituted 1:1 for refined white flour, however, it often needs a bit less flour or needs more liquid (like coconut milk) or more moisture (like pureed fruit or vegetables—applesauce, bananas, dates, pumpkin, squash)
  • Coconut Flour – this flour absorbs a lot of liquid and usually requires a lot less flour and often more eggs
  • Tapioca Flour or Starch – can be used in combination with other grain-free flours
  • Baking Soda – use instead of baking powder
  • Apple Cider Vinegar – a liquid leavening substitution
  • Chia Seeds or Freshly Ground Chia Seed Meal – can be used in baking as an egg-free substitute
 

Non-Dairy Milks

Paleo - Non Dairy MiksSmoothies, soups, curries, casseroles, homemade ice cream and so much more would not be the same without a creamy addition. You can still enjoy all of your favorites without dairy! Coconut milk and cream is usually best used in recipes that need a higher fat content and a creamier texture. Nut and seed milks are usually best used in recipes that need liquid like smoothies or hot chocolate.
  • Almond Milk
  • Cashew Milk
  • Coconut Cream – great in curries and homemade ice cream
  • Coconut Milk – great for creamier recipes that need the fat content
  • Hemp Milk
  • Macadamia Milk
 

Natural Sweeteners

Paleo - Natural SweetenersSkip the agave and refined white and brown sugar and reach for the natural sweeteners!
  • Coconut Sugar – great lower-glycemic granulated sugar, darker in flavor
  • Date Sugar – great granulated sugar, mild in flavor
  • Maple Sugar – great granulated sugar, mild in flavor
  • Maple Syrup – great liquid sweetener with more moisture content, quality is important
  • Medjool Dates – pitted and soaked, a great addition for natural sweetening, add to smoothies, ice cream or baked goods
  • Raw Honey or Quality Honey – great sweetener with more moisture content
 

Skip the Rice

Paleo - Riced BroccoliGrains are out when you’re eating Paleo, but that doesn’t mean you have to miss out on a side of “rice!” Vegetables like cauliflower are most commonly used for a great substitution, but broccoli and carrots can be used too.
  • Frozen Riced Broccoli
  • Frozen Riced Cauliflower
  • Riced Broccoli
  • Riced Carrots
  • Riced Cauliflower
 

The only question left now is which Paleo substitution will you try first?

 

Emily Sunwell-Vidarri is the blogger behind RecipesToNourish.com

DIY Citrus Bird Feeder

Whether you’re making fresh squeezed orange juice for brunch or snacking on flavorful citrus, save those peels to create colorful and easy bird seed feeders! Upcycling citrus peels is friendly to the environment and adds a fun pop of color to your yard—plus, it’s fun to bird watch straight from your backyard. Here’s what you’ll need to get started:

Citrus Bird Seed Feeder:

  • Citrus, like a large navel orange, halved with flesh scooped out
  • String, like twine
  • Toothpicks
  • DIY bird seed (see step 6 for recipe)

Instructions:

  1. Cut two pieces of string, each about 12-inches long.
  2. Tie a knot at the end of each piece of
  3. Using a toothpick, weave one piece of string through the citrus (from the inside out) until you reach the knot, trimming any excess string.
  4. Take the loose end of the string you just threaded through the citrus and, directly across from the first hole, weave string through from the outside, knotting it on the inside.
  5. Repeat steps with second string.
  6. In a small bowl, mix together dried fruit, nuts and seeds.
  7. Hang citrus in a tree and fill with bird seed.

Video Description: Simple Shortcuts–DIY Citrus Bird Feeder

Homemade Natural Cleaning Products

Get your home squeaky-clean with all natural homemade cleaners! Not only will your home look amazing,
but with scents from fresh fruits and herbs it will smell amazing too!

Multi-Surface Cleaner

With a microfiber cloth or paper towels, use this cleaner on kitchen counters, bathroom counters and stove tops!

Ingredients:

  • 1 Navel orange, peeled
  • 1 cup Distilled white vinegar
  • 1 cup Distilled water

Method:

  1. In a large jar or sealable container, combine orange peels and vinegar.
  2. Allow to infuse for 1-2 weeks, or until vinegar has turned orange in color.
  3. Using a fine mesh sieve, strain peels from vinegar.
  4. Pour infused vinegar into a spray bottle.
  5. Fill bottle with distilled water.
multi surface cleaner in a jar


glass cleaner being prepared

Glass Cleaner

We like our glass streak-free so grab a reusable cloth or yesterday’s newspaper and use this cleaner on windows and glass surfaces.

Ingredients:

For infused vinegar:
  • 1 bunch Fresh rosemary, thyme or mint
  • 1/2 cup Distilled white vinegar
For cleaner:
  • 1/2 cup Rubbing alcohol
  • 1/2 cup Distilled white vinegar
  • 4 cups Distilled Water

Method:

For infused vinegar:
  1. In a large jar or sealable container, combine rosemary or other herbs and vinegar.
  2. Allow to infuse for 1-2 weeks, or until vinegar has turned yellow in color.
  3. Using a fine mesh sieve, strain peels from vinegar.
For cleaner:
  1. Combine rubbing alcohol, infused vinegar and water.
  2. Allow to infuse for 1-2 weeks, or until vinegar has turned orange in color.
  3. Funnel cleaner into two 20-ounce reusable spray bottles.


Floor Cleaner

Grab your sponge, mop or a rag and combine this cleaner with water to use on tile, wood or laminate flooring.

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups Hot water
  • 1/4 cup Pure baking soda
  • 1 Pink grapefruit, juiced

Method:

  1. In a mop bucket, stir to combine hot water, vinegar, baking soda and grapefruit juice.
floor cleaner in a container

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Brunch in a Breeze: Easy Brunch Recipes

by Emily at One Lovely Life food blog Make brunch a breeze and impress guests with a beautiful brunch spread by incorporating frozen fruits and veggies into your meal. Not only are frozen fruits and veggies incredibly versatile, but they also pack as much nutritional value as the fresh varieties. Whether you’re looking to whip up something sweet or savory, you’ll want to give these easy brunch recipes a try:

Video Description: Facebook Live with Emily from One Lovely Life

 

Healthy Yogurt Parfait Recipe

Whether you use them for meal prep, a brunch party, or a fresh weekend breakfast, these parfaits with frozen fruit purée are a major crowd pleaser! Try them with all different combinations of frozen fruit for even more variety!

Ingredients:

Yogurt Parfait Recipe
For the Fruit Sauce:
  • 2 cups Frozen fruit or berries (like Cascadian Farm strawberries, blueberries or cherry berry blend), partially thawed
  • 3/4 cup Water
  • 1 Tbsp. Orange or lemon juice
  • 1 Tbsp. Honey
For the Parfaits:
  • Your favorite mixed nuts or granola (like Cascadian Farm Cherry, Quinoa & Almond Granola)
  • Yogurt (dairy-free, if needed)
  • Fruit purée (see above)
  • Fresh fruit—like berries, bananas, kiwi, mango, etc.

Instructions:

  1. To make the fruit purée, place partially thawed frozen fruit or berries in a blender or food processor. Add water, juice and honey. Pulse or purée until smooth, leaving a few larger pieces, as desired. (If you want it completely smooth, you can strain it through a fine-mesh sieve).
  2. To assemble parfaits, fill small jars or glasses. Layer yogurt, fruit purée, fresh fruit, and nuts or granola in any order you like. Mix and match different fresh fruits and fruit purées to create new flavor combinations!

Frittata RecipeGreen Chile Frittata Recipe

Say hello to big-time flavor without a lot of effort! This frittata is packed with veggie goodness, hash browns and bacon. It’s an all-in-one breakfast dish that’ll make any morning better.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 Tbsp. Olive oil
  • 1 sm. Onion, diced
  • 1 cup Bell peppers (any color), diced
  • 1 4 oz.-can Sprouts Green Chiles (don’t drain)
  • 1–2 cups Fresh spinach
  • 1/2 tsp. Salt
  • 1/2 tsp. Pepper
  • 8 oz. Cascadian Farm Organic Frozen Hash Browns (about 1/2 a package)
  • 4 oz. Bacon, cooked and crumbled
  • 7 Eggs
  • 1/4 cup Milk (dairy or unsweetened non-dairy)
  • Additional salt & pepper, to taste

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 9-inch pie dish with nonstick spray, or a little olive oil or butter.
  2. In a medium sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and bell pepper and sauté over medium heat 8–10 minutes, or until very tender and onion is translucent.
  3. Add green chiles, spinach, salt and pepper, and stir until spinach is wilted.
  4. Add hash browns to the bottom of your prepared pie dish.
  5. Pour cooked veggie mixture over the hash browns and pack down well.
  6. Sprinkle bacon over veggie mixture.
  7. In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and milk with a little salt and pepper. Whisk until very well blended.
  8. Pour egg mixture over the potato/egg/bacon and allow to settle.
  9. Bake at 375°F for 30–35 minutes, or until center is just set. If the edges are browning faster than you like, you can cover the pan with foil to protect it from browning any more.
  10.  Let cool slightly before slicing and serving.
Emily of One Lovely Life

Meet Our Food Blogger

Emily lives, loves and cooks at One Lovely Life, where she shares healthy recipes and inspiration for living a happy, full life. When her daughter developed an intolerance to gluten and dairy, her blog shifted to accommodate their new eating style, and these days you’ll find fresh, vibrant, colorful recipes that don’t feel like they’re missing anything. In addition to enjoying healthy meal choices on her blog, you’ll find made-over sweet treats, book recommendations and tips for living a life you love. One Lovely Life Logo