XP from SB: Is this chicken okay?

brookelynpaisley · October 2010

Bought it on Tuesday, it was dated to sell by October 5th. Is it safe for the crock pot tomorrow? I always thought chicken was good 1-2 days in the fridge and I planned to cook it Thursday and forgot. The sell by date is throwing me off.

Stackeye210 · October 2010

Isn't the sell by date usually the "sell by, freeze by" date? I think they go hand and hand. I'm like you, I like to cook it fast, but I think you're fine to crock pot it tomorrow.

Beachy730 · October 2010

Yeah since tomorrow will only be the 4th you are definitely fine to use it tomorrow. I remember seeing on Oprah years ago that the sell by date is more for the stores to use. Usually meat will say on it "use or freeze by..." Either way you are fine to use it tomorrow.

cbvcru67 · October 2010

Typically, the sell-by date is the last day a store will leave something on the shelf to sell. Most groceries keep their chicken in those butcher cases, meaning if you had it in the fridge, it's probably cooler than it would have been, had it been left in the store. Also, from what I understand, those sell-by dates usually error slightly on the side of caution......

Using that logic, I would say chicken left in the fridge is Definitely good on the 4th and I would even give it a shot on the 6th.

squirrly · October 2010

If it smells bad, pitch it. Otherwise, I'd say you're fine.

mica178 · October 2010

as long as you haven't passed the sell by date, I think you're good.

akhensley81 · October 2010

Yeah, I agree with squirrly. Unless it smells funny (or looks funny... green usually isn't a good sign), it should be fine. Just be sure to cook it thoroughly and refrigerate anything left over.