Can You Eat Bacon After the Expiration Date? What You Need to Know

Bacon is a breakfast staple in many households. The savory salty, smoky flavor of sizzling bacon is hard to resist. But like many perishable foods bacon comes with a printed expiration or “use by” date on the package. So what should you do if you discover a package of bacon that’s past its date? Is it still safe to cook up those strips for breakfast or will you be playing a risky game of food poisoning roulette?

I’ve certainly faced this dilemma before. As much as I love bacon, I don’t want to get sick from eating spoiled meat. After doing some research, I’ve learned some helpful tips on determining whether expired bacon is still okay to eat. Keep reading to find out what food safety experts say about cooking and consuming bacon past its expiration date.

Understanding Expiration Dates

Before diving into the bacon, let’s quickly go over food expiration dates and what they mean. Expiration dates come in a few different forms

• Sell by date: Tells retailers when to pull the product from shelves. After this date, the food is still safe to eat for a while.

• Best by/Best before date: Recommends when the product will be at peak quality, but it can still be used after this date.

• Use by date: The last date recommended for use at peak quality. It’s possible that some foods are not safe to eat after the “use by” date.

For perishable foods like bacon, you’re most likely to see a use by or sell by date on the package. Use by provides more of a firm cut-off for safety, while sell by simply tells the store when to stop stocking it. The date itself doesn’t necessarily mean the product will spoil and become unsafe to eat immediately after that day.

Is Eating Expired Bacon Risky?

So back to our original question – should you cook and eat bacon past the expiration date printed on the package? The answer is not a simple yes or no. Here are the main factors to consider:

• Type of date – Is it a use by or sell by date? Use by provides more meaningful info about when the bacon could become unsafe. Sell by is more for stocking purposes.

• Storage conditions – Was the bacon stored properly sealed in the fridge or freezer? Proper storage slows bacteria growth.

• Sensory clues: Does the raw bacon smell bad, feel slimy, or feel sticky or tacky in a way that doesn’t seem normal? These are all signs that it’s going bad.

• Duration past date – Did you miss the date by a few days or a few weeks? The longer past the date, the more risk of spoilage.

The main safety concern with expired bacon is bacterial growth. Bacon can harbor bacteria types like salmonella, E. coli, listeria, and others that can cause foodborne illness. Proper cooking kills these bacteria, but if the meat is spoiled these pathogens could still produce toxins that cooking won’t neutralize.

So while the date itself doesn’t necessarily scream “unsafe!” for bacon, eating expired foods always carries some amount of risk. It’s up to your best judgment if you want to accept that risk or play it safe and discard bacon that’s sat in the fridge too long past its prime.

Tips for Determining if Expired Bacon is OK to Eat

If you want to evaluate that package of bacon to see if it could still be safe and delicious to cook up, here are some tips:

• Check for off odors – Raw bacon should have a meaty, salty, savory smell. Rancid or sour odors indicate spoilage.

• Look for color changes – The pork should look pink or reddish brown. Grayish, greenish, or dark brown colors are a bad sign.

• Touch test – Raw bacon should feel smooth, moist, and a bit tacky. Dry, slimy, or sticky textures mean don’t eat it.

• Check the fat – It should look white or pale yellow. If the fat has turned a yellow-orange color, the bacon has probably gone bad.

• Cook a small piece – You can cook a bit of the bacon to check the taste, texture, and smell when cooked. But don’t eat any if it seems off.

• When in doubt, throw it out – If the bacon has been sitting in the fridge for over a week past its date, best to play it safe and say goodbye to it.

Always remember to thoroughly wash hands, surfaces, utensils, and anything else that came in contact with expired bacon that you end up discarding. You don’t want to spread any potential bacteria that may be present.

Foodborne Illnesses Associated with Bad Bacon

If you do happen to eat bacon that’s gone bad, what foodborne illnesses could you be at risk for? Here are the main ones to watch out for:

Salmonella – Bacteria that can cause diarrhea, fever, and abdominal cramps 12 to 72 hours after infection.

E. coli – Can lead to severe stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea, and vomiting. Usually takes 3-4 days for symptoms to start.

Listeria – Causes fever, muscle aches, nausea, and diarrhea. May take up to 2 months for symptoms to appear.

Staphylococcus aureus – Leads to nausea, vomiting, and abdominal cramping within a few hours of consuming.

While food poisoning from most bacteria just causes nasty but temporary symptoms, some pathogens like E. coli and listeria can potentially be life-threatening. It’s always better to be safe than sick when it comes to expired foods.

Safely Using Bacon Past Its Date

If your bacon passes the sensory tests and you determine it’s still safe to eat, make sure to cook it thoroughly before eating. Raw or undercooked pork poses a higher safety risk.

You can also keep cooked bacon in the fridge for 3-4 days and freeze it for 1-2 months. So even if you have to toss expired raw bacon, you can still get a few more days of enjoyment out of cooked bacon. Just make sure to seal it in an airtight container.

Another option is to use expired bacon that still seems edible in cooked dishes like soups, chili, pasta sauce, or baked beans. Thorough cooking provides an added layer of protection against bacteria. Just don’t eat the bacon slices straight unless they’re properly fried or broiled.

Storing Bacon Properly

To get the most shelf life out of your bacon once opened, be sure to store it properly:

• Keep raw bacon sealed in its original packaging if possible. This prevents oxygen exposure and moisture loss.

• Once opened, wrap extra bacon tightly in plastic wrap or butcher paper and refrigerate.

• Freeze bacon for longer term storage. Frozen and properly wrapped, bacon can last for 1-2 months.

• Make sure your fridge is set below 40°F and freezer below 0°F. Colder temperatures slow bacteria growth.

• Cooked bacon can be refrigerated for 3-4 days in an airtight container. It can also be frozen for 1-2 months.

Proper refrigeration and freezing are your best defenses against premature bacterial spoilage. So be diligent about getting your bacon back into cold storage after opening.

Signs Your Bacon Has Spoiled

Watch out for these red flags that indicate your bacon has crossed over from wholesome to hazardous:

• Strange odor – Rancid, sour, or unpleasant smells mean don’t eat it!

• Change in color – Grayish, greenish, or brownish hues signal spoilage.

• Slimy texture – The pork should still look moist and glossy, not slippery.

• Dry, crusty, or tacky – These textures also say the bacon has dried out or spoiled.

• Mold – Fuzzy spots or film means the bacon needs to be tossed.

• Weird taste when cooked – Bacon should still taste smoky, savory, and salty.

Trust your senses – if anything seems off or questionable, play it safe and say bye to that funky bacon so you don’t get sick.

Creative Ways to Use Up Bacon Before It Spoils

To make the most of your bacon before it passes its prime, here are some tasty ways to use it up:

• Breakfast sandwiches or wraps

• Omelets, frittatas, or quiche

• Salad toppings

• Pasta carbonara

• BLTs

• Baked potatoes with bacon bits

• Chicken Cobb salad

• Bacon jam or baked beans

• Soup toppings like potato bacon or split pea

• Bacon mac and cheese

• Candied bacon

Bacon jazzes up so many dishes across cuisines. Get creative with recipes so none of it goes to waste!

The Takeaway on Eating Expired Bacon

So can you safely eat bacon after the printed expiration date? Here’s a quick summary:

• Pay attention to “use by” vs “sell by” dates for more meaningful info

• Storage conditions play a big role – properly refrigerated and frozen bacon lasts longer

• Use your senses to check for signs of spoilage

• Cook expired bacon thoroughly and avoid eating it raw

• Frozen cooked bacon can still be enjoyed after the date if properly stored

• When in doubt, be cautious and throw it out to avoid foodborne illness

While the expiration date isn’t definitive, it’s still wise to follow it as a general guideline. But with smart storage and preparation, you may get some extra life and delicious meals out of your bacon beyond that printed date. Just be sure to rely on your food safety judgment before taking a bite of any over-the-hill bacon.