Use/sell by dates

[PamG]

Good afternoon all, I've been part of this site for a wee while now, and found some of the info and advice really good. Even just reading about others successes and struggles gives me daily hope that 1) I am not alone and 2) it can/will get better.

On to today's subject, does anyone else have a phobia or an obsession with checking the sell by and use by dates on foods? Ever since I had my
Panic attacks/anxiety in may this year I have by careful to stay as well (mentally and physically) as I can. This was initially just watching what I eat, I cut out all caffeine and alcohol and have never smoked anyway, it has now turned into a mad panic to check the dates on all food (crisps, chicken, freezer food etc). If that isn't bad enough that I was being so careful, my four year old twins now ask me every time I give them something to eat 'is it out from date mummy' or ' did you check the date mummy'. What have I done to them?!? I wasn't even aware I was doing it so much to have an impact on them! I feel pangs of OCD coming on (never been diagnosed with this) but I feel totally out of control if I can't check the date on something, I just won't eat it.

Does anyone else have this?

Pam xx

[Daisy Sue]

Yes.. to a degree. I've had stomach issues since a teenager, and numerous abdo operations, & if I get a viral or bacterial stomach bug, I get it far worse than the next person, often in excrutiating pain and/or fainting. So, I'm probably more fussy about in date foods than some people.

I worry if any of my family mistakenly eat something from the fridge that was out of date, even by one day, until a couple of days have passed and I can see they're ok. I've also been known to throw meat & chicken products away on the actual day of the 'eat by', just in case..

I used to know someone who'd come round to mine to collect my out of date food, as he maintained things were fine for days after the use by date - he always seemed to be fine, lol!

I don't think you're being over-anxious on this one, to be honest. Those dates are there for our safety, so it's up to us to check & make sure they're in date before we consume them.

[debs71]

I don't worry so much, but I am very careful with certain foods, particularly meat products, eggs/dairy, that kind of thing.

Although they are there for a reason, there have been reported and shown to be a lot of unnecessary 'scaremongering' labelling when it comes to best before/eat by dates. It is well within the best interests of the manufacturers to set an early date of expiration...purely as it means you are inclined to replace it with more. I see them more as ballpark dates to be honest, but not an absolute that you MUST eat it before then, or run the risk of keeling over/getting ill.

Things like cakes, tinned stuff I am not so bothered about. If it basically looks and smells edible, I eat it, regardless of the date, but then I am a bit nonchalant about stuff like that to be honest.

[harasgenster]

I was like this for a while. It happened after I suffered from a period of very frequent panic attacks.

I guess what happens is that something happens to your body like that - something so uncomfortable and unpleasant - and you start to feel vulnerable. That's when you start trying to protect yourself more than is necessary. It's worth nipping it in the bud as soon as possible, as with me it did get to a point where I was unable to believe that the chicken I was eating was properly cooked etc and I ended up not eating it!

There's nothing wrong with checking dates on certain foods, but see if you can stick to the ones that will really make a difference: so meat, processed/pre-made foods and dairy foods like yoghurts and cream. When it comes to things like crisps, it's probably a BBE date, which will not cause illness, so maybe try to take a few deep breaths when you take the crisps out and remind yourself that the chances of becoming ill are nil. Milk can be smelt rather than checking the date, all other foods - breads, fruit, vegetables - just need a look over.

I know how difficult it can be because there's that level of anxiety telling you you're not safe, but the quicker you take hold of it the easier it will be.

As for your children, don't blame yourself. Children do easily pick up on this stuff but I'm sure there will be no lasting effects if it's only in the short term. You could always try to override any behaviour they've noticed in you by speaking to them in rational terms - so you could try saying 'mummy's just being silly, you don't need to check the date on this' or something. Or trying to in some way reinforce the idea that food will not make you ill. I'm sure they'll forget this period quite quickly if you manage to reinforce other behaviours once you're able to get more of a handle on your anxiety.

It may be worth seeing if you can get some short-term CBT to cut this period short, even if it's just to stop checking food for now. Anxiety UK provide subsidised therapy if you don't want to be on the waiting list.

[PanchoGoz]

I just give it a sniff.
Or "if it's brown, get it down. If it's black send it back" :roflmao:

[PamG]

Thanks to all who replied. I have a meeting with my cpn today and with my psychiatrist on Tuesday. I might mention it to them to see if I am just making a mountain out of a mole hill!

[jayjoe18]

I have this too, mine started when I had health anxiety... I used to totally panic and check things/dates etc to the point of OCD, I was very careful at what I ate and would throw away perfectly good foods sometimes because I just felt they were unsafe to eat. But, even though I still check the dates now, I no longer panic or worry about it, I do still check and be cautious with meat/dairy etc but I think that's normal and practicing good health. I was able to overcome the obsessive thoughts and worries around the dates/health anxiety/contamination etc with CBT. It really did help me with this so I definitely recommend trying it!

[JackWolf]

I tend to do the same exact thing. I remeber I bought some bread once and didn't realize that it was going out of date in 2 days. So when I went to make a sand which a week later and saw the date I decided to just say screw it and put the bread back up. I mean I checked to see if there was mold or anything and there wasn't but in my mind I still thought it was contaminated in some way or would make me sick. Its a really crappy fear.

[Worried 24/7]

I am the same way. I've even thrown out meat BEFORE the sell by date because I couldn't decide if it smelled okay...

[Ryan92]

Yeah I'm like this too :doh: especially with stuff like yoghurts and cakes, if I see on the packaging that it's a few days after the use/sell by date I'll normally throw it.

Mainly because my of anxiety, OCD and I suppose it could be a little health anxiety, sometimes when I'm too anxious to eat something thats gone past its date, I feel guilty throwing it away because my family bought/payed for it, not me.

[AlexandriaUK]

http://www.food.gov.uk/about-us/about-the-fsa/faqsconsumer/bestbeforeuseby#.U2ZwQb5wY5s
This is a good site to have a look at, nothing scary LOL