Here at EatOrToss our goal is to help you make informed choices–not guesses–when you’re determining whether to eat or throw away food. We’ve got loads of information and more images of weird-looking food than you’ll find anywhere else, but there are other good resources out there, depending on what you’re looking for.
There are also some sources, I’m sorry to say, that don’t give good information, and those are proliferating as more content is written hastily, sloppily, with AI assistance, and with a closer eye on clicks and algorithms than solid information–be careful out there!
So, next time you find yourself in an EatOrToss dilemma, here’s where we suggest you look for guidance:
EatOrToss
We’re biased, of course, but we hope you’ll start here! Use the search bar in the top right corner, or the dropdown menu in the Food Index to pull up articles and images of foods that you can compare with your own. While most of the articles are about visual changes, some are about other circumstances, like shredded parmesan that looks fine, but smells odd. You can also visit our Behind the Date Label section for guidance on “expired” food. Our articles always go into detail about the science causing the food to seem off to help you make an informed choice. And, of course, if you don’t see your answer, head to the submit a question page and we’ll try to help.
AskUSDA
USDA has an extensive database of what they call “Knowledge Articles,” which give short answers to common food questions. Topics range from healthy food choices to specific food safety scenarios.
SaveTheFood.com
This website, created by the Natural Resources Defense Council, has quick entries on a number of foods, from mushrooms to coconut milk. Each entry provides storage and shelf life tips, as well as ideas for making use of the food, even when it’s no longer at its peak.
FoodKeeper
A collaboration between a number of government agencies, this app- and website- based resource, gives shelf life for a wide variety of foods. The information is barebones–just a number of days estimate on shelf life. The estimates tend to be conservative, in my opinion, but they still provide a point of reference.
Risky or Not
This podcast, by two university professors who specialize in food safety, offers short and fun discussions of whether some highly specific food scenarios are risky. Topics range from apple bobbing to food prepared by a sweaty person to 17-year-old pickle brine. Some of the topics are downright silly, but their analysis is real and they routinely do live searches for academic journals as they work toward their answers.
Do you have a favorite resource that you think belongs on this list? Email [email protected] and let us know!
