How long after the expiration date is hamburger helper still good?

All of those thing last almost forever unless rodents have gotten into them

Those are those things that the dates are irrelevant and shouldn’t even be printed on the packets

Dune

This Site Might Help You.

RE:

How long after the expiration date is hamburger helper still good?

Ok well I was cleaning out the pantry when I found some hamburger helpers in the back. There is

Fettuccine alfredo tuna helper that expired on oct. 11 2012

cнιcκen fettuccine alfredo helper that expired on feb 23 2012

and a tomato basil penne hamburger helper that exp. on aug 9 2012

Think…

There should be an expiration date on the box. I just looked at a box of Hamburger Helper that I bought recently. The “best by” date is on the top of the box. It says it’s best by May, 2012. That might mean that the box you have may have a best by date that is a year old.Since the flavor seasonings are usually in a foil sealed bag, they are probably o.k. But buttered noodles are yummy too, especially if you have some parmesan cheese to sprinkle on them. If you have any fresh garlic you could minced .of clove of that too and saute in the butter for a little bit before adding the cooked noodles. That’s what I would do. I would just skip the seasoning in the box and use the noodles to make buttered noodles.

For the best answers, search on this site https://shorturl.im/avpTd

If you make HH without adding any meat to it (I rarely add hamburger, I usually add ground turkey or cнιcκen), it will come out WAYYY too salty. The seasonings in the packet are designed to season not just the noodles but also a whole pound of ground beef. If I want to go veggie for the night, I throw in a couple of cans of veggies or a pound of frozen mixed veggies, and the seasoning works out OK then. The “best by” date is not a real expiration date. The ingredienst inside are packed so they ahve an almost indefinite shelf life. By this time, some of the seasonings inside the packet may have lost some of their flavor, but nothing in there will kill you if it’s beyond the “best by” date.

A “use by” date and an expiry date are 2 different things. If it says “use by” that’s basically to get it off shelves. If it says “expiry date” it should be taken more seriously. Check for odd smells, discoloration and package swelling. If you have any of these throw it out.

That being said the general rule of thumb for pantry / non refrigerated goods is 3 – 6 months after the stamped date.

I am pretty sure they are all still safe to eat. Everything in hamburger helper is dried, so there is nothing that would spoil. Most products of that sort have “best if used by” date which means a product “may” lose some quality or flavor after the date printed. I probably wouldn’t use a product with a best if used date in 2004, but I am guessing it would still be safe to eat.

look again.

I bet you that does NOT say expired at all but rather, “best if used by.”

That means that is how long the manufacturer guarantees freshness.

As long as those packages have been sealed and did not get wet and moldy, get buggy or begin to taste old, they are fine.

Just found one that expired in July 2000 in my cupboard. Cooked it up and it was just fine (05/2015) fifteen years out of date.

I wouldn’t eat that crap to begin with even if the dates were still good