Emergency Rations Sweepstakes: What's the oldest item in your cupboards

[BKKBike09]

No stockpiling here (except for Marmite), so working our way through things that have been lurking in cupboards and fridge. Yesterday came across a packet of "Chicken Gravy" (trust me, it needs inverted commas) with a Use By of May 2011. That went in the bin. But some BBQ sauce from 2016 turned out to have matured with age. Still tastes fine, so didn't dare look at the ingredients in case they're something like 'water, corn starch, flavouring E555, strontium ...'

 

What's the oldest item you've found in your hoard, and have you partaken / will you partake of it?

 

 

[CharlieH]

Anything with a date on it wont get passed the Mrs !! The day its out its gone, she wont allow it, I am not allowed in the kitchen mostly, so I wouldnt have a clue whats where either. ????

[bobbin]

A can of creamed corn and a can of Ayam baked beans.. both best before some date in 2013!

 

 

[dabhand]

'Best' I can do is a can of UFC green peas with an expiry date of 04 Oct 2014. Likely to remain untouched for a good bit longer based on the condition of the can.....

[tonray]

Bowtie Pasta from 2017....saving it for when things get really tight

[DPKANKAN]

2 hours ago, dabhand said:

'Best' I can do is a can of UFC green peas with an expiry date of 04 Oct 2014. Likely to remain untouched for a good bit longer based on the condition of the can.....

The best I had before was a souvenir bottle of mediteranean ×million years old sea salt, that had a use by date on the bottom. 555555????????????????????????????????????????????????

[BKKBike09]

6 hours ago, bobbin said:

A can of creamed corn and a can of Ayam baked beans.. both best before some date in 2013!

 

 

The Ayam beans are a pale imitation of 'proper' baked beans: you should bin those immediately regardless of sell by, although granted we are in an emergency situation so perhaps a pass is in order on those grounds. 

[LawrenceN]

Fudge brownie mix that my daughter bought before she went gluten-free. Best by July 29, 2016. Package is still sealed. I might give it a try. "Best by" does not mean "Turns poisonous."

[Kabayo66]

Half a brick of extra sharp cheddar cheese, with a "Best Before" date of 03 May 2010. It seems to have actually improved.

[erinsf]

Two years ago, when we were living in Ecuador we took a trip to LIma, Peru to shop.  Ecuador doesn't have the same abundant supply of spices, booze or cheese as, Peru does. So, we would take an empty suitcase on a trip to Lima now and then to get our fill.  One item I found was horseradish.  I have been carrying this around for 2 years I think.  When I looked at it yesterday, it appeared to have browned a bit. I opened it 'too easily' unfortunately.  I guess the seal had been broken. It smelled great but, it was bland.  In 2015 we lived in Chiang Mai.   I purchased a bottle of horseradish on a visit to Bangkok.  We eventually opened the Thailand purchased bottle in Ecuador in 2018.  That time the seal was still in tact. ???? As long as there is a good seal and lot of vinegar......a lot of things will still be usable longer than we can imagine lol

[ChrisKC]

I would like to report that I have a bottle of Mouton Cadet, vintage 1985, but alas, I cannot!

[Iron Tongue]

2 bottles of 1964 port in the wine cabinet.  It's kinda like a cupboard.

 

I had a tin of pate from 2001, but chucked it.

[Fairynuff]

I still have some stock of Boursin dated Dec 2015, it’s in the freezer of course. I use it occasionally but it’s absolutely the same a new pack would be. I recently found some olives I’d forgotten about. After being 5 years out of date they were fine but needed to be rinsed before eating as they’d become much more salty. Chocolate also keeps for years.

[bluemoon58]