When Do Food and Stuff Expire?

With help from experts and product manufacturers, Real Simple (http://www.realsimple.com/) has compiled a guide to expiration dates. These dates are offered as a rough guideline. The shelf lives of most products depend upon how you treat them. Edibles, unless otherwise indicated, should be stored in a cool, dry place. (With any food, of course, use common sense.) Household cleaners also do best in a dry place with a stable temperature. After the dates shown, beauty and cleaning products are probably still safe but may be less effective.

Edibles

Beverages 

Beer
Unopened: Starts to lose flavor after 110 days.
It’s best to store bottles in boxes, and then in dark place.
Stronger alcohol and higher levels of hops might extend the shelf life of a beer.
One example is Michelob Craft Specialty beers, which are often at their peak with 180 days.
(Source: Budweiser support)

Coffee, canned ground
Unopened: 2 years
Opened: 1 month refrigerated

Coffee, gourmet
Beans: 3 weeks in paper bag, longer in vacuum-seal bag (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)
Ground: 1 week in sealed container

Coffee, instant
Unopened: Up to 2 years
Opened: Up to 1 month

Diet soda (and soft drinks in plastic bottles)
Unopened: 3 months from "best by" date.
Opened: Doesn't spoil, but taste is affected.

Juice, bottled (apple or cranberry)
Unopened: 8 months from production date
Opened: 7 to 10 days

Soda, regular
Unopened: In cans or glass bottles, 9 months from "best by" date
Opened: Doesn't spoil, but taste is affected

Tea bags (Lipton)
Use within 2 years of opening the package

Wine (red, white)
Unopened: 3 years from vintage date; 20 to 100 years for fine wines
Opened: 1 week refrigerated and corked

Carbs and staples

Dried pasta
12 months

Rice, white
2 years from date on box or date of purchase

Meals

Frozen dinners
Unopened: 12 to 18 months

Frozen vegetables
Unopened: 18 to 24 months
Opened: 1 month

Olive oil
2 years from manufacture date (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

Salad dressing, bottled
Unopened: 12 months after "best by" date
Opened: 9 months refrigerated

Tuna, canned
Unopened: 1 year from purchase date
Opened: 3 to 4 days, not stored in can

Condiments and spreads

Ketchup
Unopened: 1 year (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)
Opened or used: 4 to 6 months (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

Mayonnaise
Unopened: Indefinitely
Opened: 2 to 3 months from “purchase by” date (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

Mustard
2 years (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

Peanut butter, natural
9 months

Peanut butter, processed (Jif)
Unopened: 2 years
Opened: 6 months; refrigerate after 3 months

Steak sauce
33 months (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

Tabasco
5 years, stored in a cool, dry place

Worcestershire sauce
Unopened: 5 to 10 years (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)
Opened: 2 years

Soy sauce, bottled
Unopened: 2 years
Opened: 3 months (After this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume.)

Vinegar
42 months

Preserves and jars

Maraschino cherries
Unopened: 3 to 4 years
Opened: 2 weeks at room temperature; 6 months refrigerated

Olives, jarred (green with pimento)
Unopened: 3 years
Opened: 3 months

Pickles
Unopened: 18 months
Opened: No conclusive data. Discard if slippery or excessively soft.

Snacks

Peanuts
Unopened: 1 to 2 years unless frozen or refrigerated
Opened: 1 to 2 weeks in airtight container

Protein bars (Power Bars)
Unopened: 10 to 12 months. Check "best by" date on the package.

Sweets

Brown sugar
Indefinite shelf life, stored in a moisture proof container in a cool, dry place.

Chocolate (Hershey bar)
1 year from production date

Honey
Indefinite shelf life. In fact, the honey they found in the Egyptian pyramids was still good. I don't know who lost the bet to try out honey that's been with a mummy four thousands of years.

Maple syrup, real or imitation
1 year

Marshmallows
Unopened: 40 weeks
Opened: 3 months

Household Products

Air freshener, aerosol
2 years

Antifreeze, premixed
1 to 5 years

Antifreeze, concentrate
Indefinite

Batteries, alkaline
7 years

Batteries, lithium
10 years

Bleach
3 to 6 months

Dish detergent, liquid or powdered
1 year

Fire extinguisher, rechargeable
Service or replace every 6 years

Fire extinguisher, non-rechargeable
12 years

Laundry detergent, liquid or powdered
Unopened: 9 months to 1 year
Opened: 6 months

Metal polish (silver, copper, brass)
At least 3 years

Miracle Gro, liquid
Opened: 3 to 8 years

Miracle Gro, liquid, water-soluble
Indefinite

Motor oil
Unopened: 2 to 5 years
Opened: 3 months

Mr. Clean
2 years

Paint
Unopened: Up to 10 years
Opened: 2 to 5 years

Spray paint
2 to 3 years

Windex
2 years

Wood polish (Pledge)
2 years

Beauty Products

All dates are from the manufacture date, which is either displayed on the packaging or can be obtained by calling the manufacturer's customer-service number.

Bar soap
18 months to 3 years

Bath gel, body wash
3 years

Bath oil
1 year

Body bleaches and depilatories
Unopened: 2 years
Used: 6 months

Body lotion
3 years

Conditioner
2 to 3 years

Deodorant
Unopened: 2 years
Used: 1 to 2 years
For antiperspirants, see expiration date

Eye cream
Unopened: 3 years
Used: 1 year

Face lotion
With SPF, see expiration date. All others, at least 3 years

Foundation, oil-based
2 years

Foundation, water-based
3 years

Hair gel
2 to 3 years

Hair spray
2 to 3 years

Lip balm
Unopened: 5 years
Used: 1 to 5 years

Lipstick
2 years

Mascara
Unopened: 2 years
Used: 3 to 4 months

Mouthwash
Three years from manufacture date

Nail polish
1 year

Nail-polish remover
Lasts indefinitely

Perfume
1 to 2 years

Rubbing alcohol
At least 3 years

Shampoo
2 to 3 years

Shaving cream
2 years or more

Tooth-whitening strips
13 months

Wash'n Dri moist wipes
Unopened: 2 years
Opened: Good until dried out

Beauty Supplies Expiration Dates

Anti-aging and acne treatment
Three months to a year. Antioxidants are easily oxidized, so be on the lookout for any changes in color.

Bar soap
Up to three years.

Bath oil
One year.

Blush/Bronzer
18 months after first use

Body lotion
Two to three years, particularly if it’s in a pump container.

Concealer
12 months after first use

Creme eye shadow
6 months after first use

Creme blush
12 months after first use

Deodorant
Up to two years.

Eye and lip pencils
Three to five years. Sharpen them before each use as a way to preserve them and keep them clean.

Facial Moisturizer
12 months after first use

Foundation
About two years. Most bottles are designed to last that long. And if you don’t use it, chances are you didn’t love it to begin with.

Hairstyling products
Three to five years. Most are alcohol-based, which helps preserve the formula.

Lipstick and lip gloss
18 months after first use

Liquid eyeliner
3 months after first use

Liquid Foundation
6 months after first use

Mascara and liquid eyeliner
Three to four months. Make sure you’re diligent about replacing these items to prevent contamination and infections.

Nail polish
18 months after first use

Perfume
About two years. To get more mileage out of a perfume, resist the temptation to display a pretty bottle on your vanity. Instead, stash it away in a cool, dark place.

Shampoo, conditioner, and shower gel
About three years.

Shaving cream
About two years.

Skin care products
6 months after first use

Sunscreen
6 months after first use.

See Also: Learn the Lingo of Expiration Dates

Finding harmful ingredients in cosmetic products

You can find the ingredients on cosmetic products (shampoos, soap, sunscreen) and search for carcinogenic (known or suspected) or harmful ingredients on https://www.safecosmeticsact.org/search.

It's run by the California Department of Public Health, which gives public access to their database. By law (passed in 2005), manufacturers that sell cosmetic products in the state must report the ingredients. Yay, California!

The user experience is not great, but at least the information is public. Hopefully, someone with more talent for designing web and mobile apps would create a better way to get these data.

Recipe: Grilled Steak Salad

Ingredients

• Steak (pick your favorite, skirt, flat iron, or NY)
• Finely chopped onions
• Finely cubed cucumber
• Apple cider vinegar
• Canola oil
• Egg
• Citrus
• Mustard
• Sugar
• Salt 
• Pepper

Instructions

1. Lightly grill a steak (keep it medium rare), then slice into strips. 
2. Add chopped onions and cucumber.
3. Mix with apple cider vinegar, canola oil, egg, citrus, mustard, sugar, salt and pepper. To taste. 
4. Put the mix on a lettuce leaf.

Eat it as a salad, rice topping, or sandwich filling. 

Recipe: Making Fujian Lumpia (Fresh Spring Rolls)

Lumpia is a spring roll in the southeastern province of Fujian, China (潤餅 or rùnbǐng). Chinese migrants to other parts of southeast Asia brought the dish with them and variants of lumpia exists in the adopted countries, like Indonesia, Philippines, and Vietnam.

This recipe is a traditional Fujian version. It's fairly complex and takes hours of prep time, followed by a couple of hours of cooking. And then the diners have to assemble many of the ingredients at the table.

It's generally a communal affair, where family members prepare the ingredients together and dine together.

Picture from Baby Rambutan

Lumpia Serving Size : 2 Large Woks

Main ingredients 

Mix

White preserved tofu (tokwa) - 5 packs
Carrots - 5.5 lbs
Cabbage -2 medium heads
Snow peas (ho-lin taw) -2 packs
Green beans - 4 lbs
Mushrooms - 2 packs
Ground pork -2 lbs
Shrimps - 2 lbs
Chinese leek (sng-a)

Wrap

Lumpia/spring roll wrap - 60 pcs
Romaine Lettuce (sng chai) - 2 packs. This keeps the mix intact and from dissolving the spring roll wrap

Condiments

Eggs - 16 eggs
Garlic - 4 heads (at least)
Mung bean sprouts - 2 packs
Cilantro/Coriander - 2 packs
Peanut drink powder - 2 boxes
Fried Fujian sea weed (ho-ti)
Hoisin sauce
Tiny flat fish (optional)

Cooking instructions

Before anything

Wash cilantro and Romaine lettuce first so it will be dry by eating time.

Prep work

Tofu - julienne
Carrots -cut fine
Mushrooms - cut fine
Green Beans - medium fine
Garlic - fine
Cabbage - medium fine
Snow Peas - medium fine
Shrimp - medium fine

Cooking

1. Put little oil in the wok. Add a little garlic.
2. Stir fry in medium heat each ingredients in its own pan (you can reuse the pan). Start with the meat, then add the veggies, from the ones that take the longest to cook to the shortest. 
3. Start mixing the ingredients in one big wok. 
4. Stir everything under medium to low heat every 10-15 minutes, for about an hour or two.  

Tips

• When stir frying ground pork, add oyster sauce to taste.
• Simmer the lumpia in low heat until soft.
• Add some water or chicken broth (about 2 –3 cans) little by little, when things look dry. Do not add too much.
• When serving, squish on the side to release liquid before putting in serving dish.

Preparing condiments

Fried seaweed (hoti)

1. Add a little oil in pan
2. Stir fry in very low heat (1-2 level).
3. When the color has changed and it's crunchy, turn off heat and stir some sugar bit by bit.

Eggs

1. Scramble the eggs.
2. Pour enough in pan for a thin omelet. 
3. When done, roll up the omelet and cut into strips. 

Garlic and mung bean sprouts

• Put in food processor to get fine pieces and add a little hot water. 
• Blanch mung bean sprouts in boiling water for just a few seconds. You want it still crispy. 

Eating instructions

This is everyone's favorite part!

1. Get a dry plate. Keep it dry. 
2. Lay the spring roll wrap flat.
3. Lay the lettuce on the wrap
4. Put the mix in the lettuce. Don't be greedy or your lumpia will be too fat to roll up. 
5. Add condiments of your choice: mung bean sprouts, peanuts, garlic, fried seaweed, cilantro, peanut and egg. Take care to not make the roll too fat.
6. Roll up the wrap and add a dab of hoisin sauce to seal the wrap. 
7. Eat it.

Faking your way to power

Most of us have heard of the "effects of embodiment," that is, the theory that holds that we can fake our way to an emotion. You know, how smiling—even when you feel like throttling another person—makes you feel, well, happier. Somehow, the way you arrange the muscles in your face releases the right neurochemicals. (In at least one study, the subjects were not even smiling, they were just biting a pencil!)

So, interestingly enough, researchers in Columbia and Harvard decided to study the effects of power posturing, you know, the body language of that obnoxious fratboy of a bossman character in your work place. It's the body language that takes up a lot of space: the obnoxious coach in Glee establishes her authority over everyone by planting both hands on the table and looming forwards; various pictures of presidents show them with their feet on the table and elbows behind their heads (that's not Obama relaxing, that's him establishing power over his staff); countless bouncers with their hands on their hips, elbows pointing out to their sides, and legs rooted in a power base. Yeah, you know those postures. (If you are reading this blog, you must be that nerd on the receiving end of the power postures.)

So what did they find out? Same deal as the smile study. People assuming power postures felt more in power. AND testosterone levels of subjects—regardless of gender—went up while cortisol levels (the stress-related hormone) went down within moments of assuming the power postures. Incidentally, people in power have lower level of cortisol (probably because they're busy raising everyone else's).

On the flip side of the coin, taking submissive postures, which entails making yourself seem smaller (slouching, slumping shoulders, looking vulnerable, hugging self and crossing ankles), resulted in lower testosterone and higher cortisol levels.  

So the lesson is, act like a bully. You'll feel good about it later. It's also a great way to build up your confidence right before a tough meeting, an interview, or your next mime performance before a large audience.   

Holiday tipping

Not sure how much to tip people whose services you enjoy? The rule of thumb is to tip the value of a service.

• Personal trainers get a session's worth in cash or gift. 
• House cleaners get the cost of one service, though most people tip $35. 
• Lawn people get $20-$50 each. 
• Building staff get $25 to $50, with most people tipping $25.
• Hairdressers get the value of a service, with most folks tipping $20.
• Teachers get gifts with a value of around $20-$30 
• Newspaper carriers typically get around $10-$30, with most folks tipping at $15
• Mail carriers may not accept gift above $20 in value or get cash or cash equivalents, such as gift cards
• Dog walkers get a week's pay. 
• Babysitters of hellions should definitely get tips. A night's service. 

Source: USA Today and Consumer Reports.

Worst time to go to the hospital

If you live in the US, the worst time to go to the hospital for treatment and surgery is July, especially the first week. That's when hospitals get new residents and experienced ones get promoted. Lots of confusion around this time. As a result, medical errors go up.

Try to stay healthy until September at least ;).