Ah yes, the go-to method for seeing if a food item is still edible or not - the sniff and have someone else taste test. I should have employed this method several times over my life; somehow I was the one to load up my nachos with the rancid sour cream. But now I can give my nose a break (and friends' taste buds) and let my fingers perform their own fresh test. StillTasty will tell you if produce, meats, spices, oils, baked goods, beverages and more are still good or not. And, from my brief foray into it, it appears fairly comprehensive. It let me know when the hummus needs to make a date with the garbage, how long coriander seeds last (3-4 years, which is great since I have bunches). It even told me how long marshmallows stay fresh after being opened, about 1 month.
This is great for that spring cleaning itch I have gotten of late. Apparently I need to throw out my baking powder, as it has passed the 6 months of freshness for sure. Granted, I probably should have known that based solely on the clumped appearance of the powder. Ooh, and I should throw my wheat flour in the freezer asap and hold onto it for another year or so. Contrary to urban legend, Twinkies (or snack cakes in cellophane wrapper - unopened) will not last 50 years. They will last 1-2 months in the pantry, or 4-6 months in the freezer. Frozen Twinkies, very interesting...
Everyone get your permanent markers out and start writing the date you opened that package of crackers or bottle of BBQ sauce!
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