People are divided over this 25-cent Coles item: Would YOU buy it?
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From ‘secret’ markdown schedules to various supermarket ‘tips and tricks’, it seems like we’re always talking about bargains. Why? Well, it’s because we all love a good deal, especially when it comes to grocery shopping. We’re always on the lookout for ways to save money and tips to improve our budgeting skills.
But every now and then, we come across a 'bargain' that's so unbelievable, it almost seems too good to be true.
We’ve all been in the situation where you spot a reduced-price item at the supermarket and think to yourself, ‘should I get it?’
This is exactly the debate that flared up on Facebook last week, when a Coles regular posted a photo of nine 500-gram packs of Chicken mince, which were originally priced at $7, but marked down to just 25 cents each.
The shopper declared that it was a case of being in the ‘right place at the right time’, and stated that they saved over $60 on their grocery haul.
While some people congratulated the shopper on their ‘awesome find’ others weren’t so sure if it was such a good deal. Many cautioned the shopper on eating the mince, warning them to be careful when consuming heavily-discounted food so close to the best-before date.
Each pack had an expiry date of the following day, and this prompted several people to share bad experiences they encountered after making similar purchases.
‘I’ve bought from the two major supermarkets with at least three days to go before the “best-before” date, and it has smelled funky,’ one shopper commented.
Another said they’ve become ‘really ill’ from eating reduced-price meat. ‘Yep, I’ll never buy reduced-priced pork or chicken ever again,’ agreed another.
The shopper responded that they’d always been able to eat marked-down meat without any problems, but explained that they always ‘exercise caution’.
‘I’ve never had an issue with it. It’s all in the freezer now but if it smells even remotely odd the first time, I use some, then I’ll throw the lot,’ she wrote. Some agreed with the shopper and said that they’ve ‘never had an issue’ with eating heavily-discounted meat either.
So is discounted meat so close to its best-before date safe to eat?
According to Food Standards Australia and New Zealand 9(FSANZ), supermarkets such as Coles and Woolworths have to follow a national standard across all products in relation to the use-by and best-before date.
‘Date marks give a guide to how long food can be kept before it begins to deteriorate or may become unsafe to eat,’ FSANZ said.
It also states that foods must be eaten before a certain time for ‘health or safety reasons’ and should be marked with a use-by date. ‘Foods should not be eaten after the use-by date and can’t legally be sold after this date because they may pose a health or safety risk,’ it said.
However, consumers can still eat foods ‘for a while’ after the best-before date. FSANZ claims that they ‘should be safe’ but may have lost some of their quality.
‘Foods that have a best-before date can legally be sold after that date provided the food is fit for human consumption,’ it said.
While buying meat (or other perishable goods) at a discounted price is a good way to save up on groceries, it’s also important to exercise caution when buying marked-down meat to keep ourselves healthy and avoid food poisoning. That said, how do you know if meat has gone bad?
First, you have to smell the meat. This is perhaps the quickest and most reliable indicator that the meat you bought is still okay to eat. If the product is giving off a nasty smell that makes you turn away and gag, then you should toss it in the bin. However, keep in mind that just because your packed meat doesn’t ‘smell’ rotten doesn’t mean it’s safe to eat.
Bacteria could be lurking inside it. So, make sure that the meat doesn’t smell like bleach or ammonia, as this could mean that the meat is old but passed off as ‘still fresh’.
Next is the texture. If the meat is slimy or sticky, this isn’t a good sign.
Colour is also a good indicator for spotting rotting meat. Some grey or browning in some areas is natural, particularly with mince. Green is not natural, though. Stay away if the meat has green spots.
Also, when buying meat at discounted prices, try to factor in how many days it will stay in your fridge until you cook it. Meat can still be cooked until two days past the best-before date. However, minced meat is best cooked the same day it has been ground.
When storing meat, always keep it in the coldest part of the refrigerator.
Do you like buying marked-down products, or do you prefer to stick to the standard pricing and take caution with best-before dates? Let us know any grocery-saving tips you may have down in the comments!
But every now and then, we come across a 'bargain' that's so unbelievable, it almost seems too good to be true.
We’ve all been in the situation where you spot a reduced-price item at the supermarket and think to yourself, ‘should I get it?’
This is exactly the debate that flared up on Facebook last week, when a Coles regular posted a photo of nine 500-gram packs of Chicken mince, which were originally priced at $7, but marked down to just 25 cents each.
The shopper bought nine packs of the discounted mince. Credit: Facebook
The shopper declared that it was a case of being in the ‘right place at the right time’, and stated that they saved over $60 on their grocery haul.
While some people congratulated the shopper on their ‘awesome find’ others weren’t so sure if it was such a good deal. Many cautioned the shopper on eating the mince, warning them to be careful when consuming heavily-discounted food so close to the best-before date.
Each pack had an expiry date of the following day, and this prompted several people to share bad experiences they encountered after making similar purchases.
‘I’ve bought from the two major supermarkets with at least three days to go before the “best-before” date, and it has smelled funky,’ one shopper commented.
Another said they’ve become ‘really ill’ from eating reduced-price meat. ‘Yep, I’ll never buy reduced-priced pork or chicken ever again,’ agreed another.
Is it dangerous to buy meat so close to its best-before date? Credit: Angele J/Pexels
‘I’ve never had an issue with it. It’s all in the freezer now but if it smells even remotely odd the first time, I use some, then I’ll throw the lot,’ she wrote. Some agreed with the shopper and said that they’ve ‘never had an issue’ with eating heavily-discounted meat either.
So is discounted meat so close to its best-before date safe to eat?
According to Food Standards Australia and New Zealand 9(FSANZ), supermarkets such as Coles and Woolworths have to follow a national standard across all products in relation to the use-by and best-before date.
‘Date marks give a guide to how long food can be kept before it begins to deteriorate or may become unsafe to eat,’ FSANZ said.
Here's the difference between 'use-by' and 'best-before'. Image credit: The Seniors Discount Club
It also states that foods must be eaten before a certain time for ‘health or safety reasons’ and should be marked with a use-by date. ‘Foods should not be eaten after the use-by date and can’t legally be sold after this date because they may pose a health or safety risk,’ it said.
However, consumers can still eat foods ‘for a while’ after the best-before date. FSANZ claims that they ‘should be safe’ but may have lost some of their quality.
‘Foods that have a best-before date can legally be sold after that date provided the food is fit for human consumption,’ it said.
While buying meat (or other perishable goods) at a discounted price is a good way to save up on groceries, it’s also important to exercise caution when buying marked-down meat to keep ourselves healthy and avoid food poisoning. That said, how do you know if meat has gone bad?
First, you have to smell the meat. This is perhaps the quickest and most reliable indicator that the meat you bought is still okay to eat. If the product is giving off a nasty smell that makes you turn away and gag, then you should toss it in the bin. However, keep in mind that just because your packed meat doesn’t ‘smell’ rotten doesn’t mean it’s safe to eat.
Bacteria could be lurking inside it. So, make sure that the meat doesn’t smell like bleach or ammonia, as this could mean that the meat is old but passed off as ‘still fresh’.
Next is the texture. If the meat is slimy or sticky, this isn’t a good sign.
Colour is also a good indicator for spotting rotting meat. Some grey or browning in some areas is natural, particularly with mince. Green is not natural, though. Stay away if the meat has green spots.
Also, when buying meat at discounted prices, try to factor in how many days it will stay in your fridge until you cook it. Meat can still be cooked until two days past the best-before date. However, minced meat is best cooked the same day it has been ground.
When storing meat, always keep it in the coldest part of the refrigerator.
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