Shelf Life website

I recently found this awesome website called Still Tasty. On this site you can search different foods and it will tell you how long this food will last on the shelf, in the refrigerator or in the freezer. Manufacturer's expiration dates are very conservative and you can almost always use food items after their printed dates. This website often mentions this and I can say for a fact that I have used "expired" items dozens of times without any issues.

For example, I searched "eggs" on the site. First it comes up with all kinds of options such as "eggs-cooked, hard boiled" or "eggs: scrambled, poached, fried, omelets, frittatas-cooked leftovers."

I selected: "eggs: fresh, raw, in the shell." It states that eggs can be stored in the refrigerator for 3-5 weeks. It also recommends storing eggs in the carton from the store and not in the door, which is warmer than the main part of the fridge.

The site also states that you can freeze eggs for up to a year, but first you crack the eggs, mix them with a little salt or sugar (depending on what you plan to use them for) and place them in an airtight container or freezer bag.

Interesting stuff, huh? So this site might be my new best friend...or at least a great resource when it comes to storing food for short- or long-term use.

This site can also be a great resource with your meal planning because you can check on the shelf life of foods you might be using in the next few weeks and decide how much of one item you might want to buy at once. I love buying things on sale or in bulk, so knowing the right way to store extra food is very valuable to me.