Why do cake mixes have experiation dates?

[JohnTRourke]

Ok, so I've been on low carb for 10.25 months now and it's going awesome. (-114lbs) and I'm doing some cleaning
I'm not going back to the way i was eating, so I figured I'd continue getting rid of carb stuff.

I have a LOT of dry cake mixes (you know, betty crocker stuff in the store)
most of it expired 5 years ago, which seems odd, because we were eating it even up to last year.

Why does this expire? it's dry mix
Am I missing something?
Should i toss it or give it away? (to friends, not to wasteful food banks)

[RblDiver]

(Pure anecdotal here) I know I've had old corn-based products and they taste awful. My guess is that for things like dry mixes, it's more to get you to throw it out and get some more, but there could be taste degradation if the ingredients are old (chemical breakdown or somesuch).

[ray1970]

The bigger question would be why does bottled water have an expiration date.

[StagLefty]

The bigger question would be why does bottled water have an expiration date.

So you'll keep buying more and keep them in business !!! [facepalm]

[Aloha_Shooter]

The main thing would be that the baking powder or soda in the mix loses effectiveness over time so you could bake it and end up with a brick instead of a cake. I wouldn't worry about it -- the low humidity in Colorado seems to add to shelf-time for things like this. Just don't bank on that cake mix working properly for a party or something -- save it for a treat for your family or to make stuff for the school/church bake sale that won't hurt if you end up throwing it out.

[Robb]

Am i reading that right??? You lost 114lbs?!?!? You really need to tell the rest of us how you pulled that off.

[Great-Kazoo]

The main thing would be that the baking powder or soda in the mix loses effectiveness over time so you could bake it and end up with a brick instead of a cake. I wouldn't worry about it -- the low humidity in Colorado seems to add to shelf-time for things like this. Just don't bank on that cake mix working properly for a party or something -- save it for a treat for your family or to make stuff for the school/church bake sale that won't hurt if you end up throwing it out.

Not the same for mac n cheese. spouse opened up a box "she forgot" was in the rotation, exp 05/2009 The cheese almost got her, were it not for our pups, on the job and neutralizing the threat. Some nasty shit expired processed cheese is i tell ya.

[rondog]

Am i reading that right??? You lost 114lbs?!?!? You really need to tell the rest of us how you pulled that off.

Yeah....screw the expired cake mixes, tell us fat bastards about the weight loss!

[JohnTRourke]

Am i reading that right??? You lost 114lbs?!?!? You really need to tell the rest of us how you pulled that off.

yeah, really, 114 pounds so far. In 10 months and a week. I haven't weighed this little since probably 1997 or so.
And I eat good, no scams, no extra money and programs, real food and for the first time in my life, I"m not hungry all the time

http://www.reddit.com/r/keto

[JoeT]

the fear is that mold spores grow in the box....while this can happen it's rare and unlikely

[Dave_L]

Liability issues would be my guess. Congrats on the weight loss! That's fantastic. As you said, when you don't "cheat" the system and do it right, its a lot better. It's never a diet but a lifestyle change. Keep it up!

[rondog]

yeah, really, 114 pounds so far.

Fuuuuuck meee......

[Delfuego]

Flour can go bad (ie: rancid) and cake mixes and flour can get bugs in them. Smell and taste it to see if it has turned.

[asmo]

114 pounds is pure awesomeness... I have 20lbs to loose and I wont even give up carbs for that.

Congratulation!

[Voception]

Congrats on losing that much I'm in the 100+ lost club to, wasn't easy.

[Voception]

The bigger question would be why does bottled water have an expiration date.


This is because New Jersey requires all food and beverages, including water, to carry an expiration date on its packaging. It doesn't matter if you don't live in New Jersey... your water may carry an expiration date anyway to make it easier to standardize packaging. Some bottled water only carries its bottling date or a 'best by' date.

[RblDiver]

For the water, I would suspect that there's also the possibility that, depending on the packaging, contaminants could get inside. I know CO2 can escape from plastic pop bottles after a while, so I would guess that it's just as likely something else could find its way in.

[RCCrawler]

http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/pancake.asp

[buckshotbarlow]

So you'll keep buying more and keep them in business !!! [facepalm]

fully agree with this one...it's all about making you scared so you'll pitch the product and buy more...

[jhood001]

Stuff definitely goes bad with time. If it is edible, it will break down eventually.

I had a slice of cheesecake where the crust was made out of boxed graham cracker crumbs that were expired. The crust tasted like burn olive oil and the taste stayed in my mouth for hours. Then my digestive system attempted to abort everything in my body that wasn't nailed down.

[spyder]

Am i reading that right??? You lost 114lbs?!?!? You really need to tell the rest of us how you pulled that off.
He did it by being very strong willed. JTR, I applaud you. There are many ways to lose a lot of weight, and fast, but you have to have a very strong will to do so. I posted a while back how I lost 50 in a month and a half, but I've tried doing it again, and just can't... (lack the will). Again John, congrats on your accomplishment, I know how hard it is, and have failed at it recently, I applaud you for being able to hold strong for so long. [Beer]

[JohnTRourke]

He did it by being very strong willed. JTR, I applaud you. There are many ways to lose a lot of weight, and fast, but you have to have a very strong will to do so. I posted a while back how I lost 50 in a month and a half, but I've tried doing it again, and just can't... (lack the will). Again John, congrats on your accomplishment, I know how hard it is, and have failed at it recently, I applaud you for being able to hold strong for so long. [Beer]

I appreciate the kinds words, but it's really not like that.
I just found that for me, for my body, it simply can't handle and/or process carbs. I gave up carbs and hunger went away. I eat "normal" sized meals or even less and feel totally full. (for the first time in my life).
Hell I dropped 29lbs the first month, it just falls off when I'm not giving my body stuff it can't handle. Not everyone is like this of course, some people can eat pasta every meal and be skinny (bastards) but I have found, finally, that i can't.

I don't feel that I'm missing out on anything. I eat really well, big full satisfying meals with lots of fat, but no carbs and I'm full and the weight just falls off.

[Rooskibar03]

Another plus 1 for th non/low carb deal. 30lbs in 9 weeks with almost no excersise for me without sugar or carbs. Trouble is finding my motivation, which was a $400 winner take all biggest looser contest. Now that the contest is over its a battle to stay on the program.

[BPTactical]

Why does Sour Cream have an experiation date?

Good for you Brian!