Can You Eat Yogurt After It Expires?
It's time we come to a cultural understanding
There are some who can plow through a container of yogurt like a Saturday-night pint of ice cream. And then there's the rest of us, who on our once-a-month health kick, grab a tub of nonfat Greek, hoping its mere presence in the fridge will encourage us to eat just a smidge healthier. But when all's said and done, oftentimes we end up rediscovering that half-eaten carton hiding behind take-out containers and bottles of mustard on the bottom shelf only after it's expired.
But just because your yogurt is past its prime doesn't necessarily mean it's destined for the trash. According to Eat By Date, a site that outlines the actual shelf life of our favorite foods, as long as it's within one to two weeks of the expiration date, yogurt is still safe to consume. (Think about it: Yogurt is essentially spoiled milk in the first place; an extra week or two is not going to hurt.)
This doesn't mean you should eschew common sense and dig a spoon into a carton that's a bit more . . . aged, if you will. While we enjoy yogurt for its subtle tang, once the flavor ventures into Sour Patch Kid territory, it's time to take it to the trash. If you see specks of mold or notice any off-yellow discoloration, or if it just plain smells bad (trust us: Yogurt should never smell like sweaty socks), it's time to grab yourself a new carton—one you'll actually finish this time.