Chef Boyardee--Is this true????

[TIK]

My wife just called me here at work in my new office (remember--I got promoted...I HAVE AN OFFICE!!!!!!! DOH!!!!!!!!) and told me she went to ChinaMart and picked up some prep items. If you recall, my wife and I decided to create 72 hour packs for all of her siblings and their spouses (if they were married). And she's a typical Mormon--got 7 brothers and 2 sisters!! SHEEEEEEEEEEEEEESH!!! It was a very expensive Christmas.

I digress.

She went to Walmart and picked up some canned soups and foods and stuff to help fill out our 3-month prep list. She bought several cans of Ravioli--Chef Boyardee, because, well, I LOVE THAT SLOP!! Anyway, she said printed on the bottom of the cans she bought was a line that said "BEST IF USED BY JULY 2020".

JULY????

I mean....2020?????

Is this true??? A FOURTEEN YEAR SHELF LIFE????

If so, I'm prepping the HELL out of Chef Boyardee stuff!!!

Anyone know??

 

[drafter]

That's surprising. I've avoided stocking up on too much of the raviolis because I'd read that tomato based products acidity ate the cans away faster. If what you say is true I'm going to have to stock up on more raviolis and spaghettios.

 

[Bubba Zanetti]

Don't they teflon coat the inside of the cans now?

 

[timbo]

They line the cans with old Italian stomachs. They can stand it.

Wouldnt want teflon anyway. Bad stuff. Italian stomachs good stuff.

 

[SAR01]

the 2 things of canned goods I have had explode are Hunts tomato sauce (at about 4 yrs old, and pineapple at 5 yrs.. both were in the back and I didn;t see them.

I now line shelves with wax paper incase there are accidents.

I am also thinking that with the pop tops everything has now, that might shorten the shelf life. I opened chicken noodle with the pop top (2002) and it tasted strange. dog wouldn't eat it either.. (that's bad!)

opened another one 2002, that was old time can.. and it was fine.. stored on the same shelf.

just a FWIW

 

[John H]

I have a shelf full of the stuff, most with the pull-tab cans.

Maybe I can trade the dog for some of his dog food? Chicken and also beef chunks, actually looks pretty good.



John H

 

[Wildweasel]

"... Anyway, she said printed on the bottom of the cans she bought was a line that said "BEST IF USED BY JULY 2020". ..." "... Anyone know?? ..."

If I'm not mistaken, a lot of the old C-rations were products like Chef Boyardee spaghetti and meatballs. I know back in the 1970s I ate a few cans of C-rats from the 1940s that were pretty good, even if they had to be eaten cold.

Ever since, for hunting and camping trips I find that a can of Chef Boyardee (heated or unheated) and a peanut butter sandwich is a very satisfying meal.

WW

 

[dreamseeer]

the 2 things of canned goods I have had explode are Hunts tomato sauce (at about 4 yrs old, and pineapple at 5 yrs.. both were in the back and I didn;t see them.

I now line shelves with wax paper incase there are accidents.

I am also thinking that with the pop tops everything has now, that might shorten the shelf life. I opened chicken noodle with the pop top (2002) and it tasted strange. dog wouldn't eat it either.. (that's bad!)

opened another one 2002, that was old time can.. and it was fine.. stored on the same shelf.

just a FWIW

I agree . I don't like pop tops and I too think that they will shorten shelf life and eventually leak....especially with stacking another can on top. .........that might be okay short term but not for the long haul.

I think temperature has a lot to do with the tomatoes exploding..

I have not had a problem with any tomato cans but then I consumed them out in rotation by 4 years.....

 

[rryan]

good god...if that shit'll keep that long it cannot be something you should put in your body except in case fo emergency

 

[Safecastle]

She went to Walmart and picked up some canned soups and foods and stuff to help fill out our 3-month prep list. She bought several cans of Ravioli--Chef Boyardee, because, well, I LOVE THAT SLOP!! Anyway, she said printed on the bottom of the cans she bought was a line that said "BEST IF USED BY JULY 2020".

JULY????

I mean....2020?????

Is this true??? A FOURTEEN YEAR SHELF LIFE????

If so, I'm prepping the HELL out of Chef Boyardee stuff!!!

Anyone know??

Better look at that line again ... a couple of Chef Boyardee products in my cupboard say, Best if used by Dec202007 ... I read that to mean Dec. 20, 2007.

 

[HeliumAvid]

I can attest that Beefaroni (sp) has a shelf live in excess of 5 years, just opened a can of it, and other than some settling (stirring in a warm pan solved this problem) the stuff tasted just like new stuff.. I will check back in an other 5 years

HeliumAvid

 

[Safecastle]

If there is any confusion, or you want to find out for sure, you can contact the folks at Conagra ... scroll down to the bottom of this page and follow the prompts:

http://www.conagrafoods.com/utilities/product_info_faqs.jsp

 

[susie_q]

Trying to take a break here...but had to get up and look at our cans of Chef Boyardee Ravioli. They were purchased within the past two months. Date is "Oct 17, 2007". Also have pull top lids and can't help wondering if that reduces the shelf life. It's ok, I'm not going to eat that stuff unless I'm really hungry!

 

[Grock]

Chef Boyardee doesen't have a 'shelf life'.... it has a half life. I believe is is somewhere around the same half life as tritium...

 

[nannygoat]

I have had no problem with 5+ year old ravioli and other italian type tomato based canned meals and also tomato soup but have had cans of tomato sauce go bad - swollen or leaked in less than two years and even 1 year one time - the really old stuff might taste a bit tiney at times but very eatable - with our recent move have discover way to many cans of different stuff that was missed - esp from 99 when I put food all over the place trying to get room[sigh] another thing had problem with was pinapple and of course canned saurkraut but bottled ok -

have found that bottles of cooking oil that were stored in the dark but not necessarily not hot - were fine when opened but did not last as long once opened - and I am talking about stuff from 99 - a big 5 gal can might be cheaper per ounce but we have never gotten more than a half gal out of it before it went rancid

oh yes have just recently eaten some 99 chunky soup and even though a bit mushy it was just fine and have had none of it get swollen or leaked ever- I agree am very worried about the flip top cans and am very careful to try and make sure to not stack anything on top of the flip top cans

remeber none of this was stored in ideal temps - in fact most of the time the summer temps were in the low 90s - the desert of AZ with no airconditioning and only swamp cooler can get pretty nasty during the summer monsoons

 

[atropa]

Mmmm, ravioliiiii... It is a good prep item regardless. It's good hot or cold. I know because when I open a can to heat I always eat one or two right away

 

[atropa]

Chef Boyardee doesen't have a 'shelf life'.... it has a half life. I believe is is somewhere around the same half life as tritium...

LOL, that and twinkies!

 

[rolph]

2008 expiration on our boyardee slop here. Pull tab can. Definitely worth a trip to chinamart to check it out.

I try to get a long expiry on stuff I never eat and can't rotate, but it's cheap prep food.

 

[blueberry]

Went and checked my pantry too - I knew I had purchased some Chef Boyardee Ravioli last year.

I had marked the can with August 2005 as my purchase date, and the 'Best By' date on the bottom of the can is August 2007. I will be checking out the newer cans also, next time I go to Wal Mart.

 

[Head'n Home]

I have noticed recently when I opened a regular can of crushed tomatoes that the inside of the can has some kind of coating on it. It appears to be a white material but I can't tell what it is. Maybe this lets the tomato based products have a longer shelf life. I know from past experience that some of these acidic veggies do eat the metal.

 

[Burt Gummer]

Ah oh...........didn't think about that.

I have bought canned goods not considering that the pull top can my not seal as well. I just thought about how convenient it would be not to have to use my manual can opener. Is there any docummented info on the different cans?

I may have to rethink my can food preps on some items.

 

[dreamseeer]

I have noticed recently when I opened a regular can of crushed tomatoes that the inside of the can has some kind of coating on it. It appears to be a white material but I can't tell what it is. Maybe this lets the tomato based products have a longer shelf life. I know from past experience that some of these acidic veggies do eat the metal.

I think it is some kind of plastic. One has to wonder if they traded the devil for the deep blue going from tin to plastic. I have been reading a lot lately about plastics leeching chemicals into the foods....so, just dam if you do and dam if you don't.

We do the best we can and that is all we can do........so eat up! It is still rot-gut food but sustainable. ......like spam.

 

[Lone Wolf]

I love that stuff...but...watch that salt content..it'll killya.

doc took me off salt after my stroke.

lw

 

[A.T.Hagan]

Better look at that line again ... a couple of Chef Boyardee products in my cupboard say, Best if used by Dec202007 ... I read that to mean Dec. 20, 2007.

I think JC has the right of it here.

And even if it really were a twenty year claimed shelf life I wouldn't believe it, no matter what the can lining is.

....Alan.

 

[TIK]

ALERT ALERT ATTENTION ATTENTION!!!

Now that I have actually COME HOME and seen it for myself, it is confirmed. It's not July 2020. It's July 20, 2008!!!!!! But it looks like this...

JULY202008....

How my wife could misinterpret that I haven't a clue. But she did.

And I doth made fun of her ceaselessly and to my great amusement.

I am now typing to you from the frozen tundra known around these parts...

...as the doghouse.

I sacrifice for my new friends here at TB2K.

 

[Deena in GA]

Lol, TIK! That's still a nice shelf life though, over two years. May have to buy some more Chef Boy-ar-dee.

 

[Old Futz]

Chef Boyardee

I had the same problem three weeks ago regarding Skippy peanut butter that was on sale, only in this case the dates all had expired. I mentioned it to the clerk, she pulled more and found dates all over the calendar, then asked if I wanted to buy some! Nyet! Monday when back in town I checked in with the person in charge of receiving. The problem was in trying to decipher the lot number from the expiration number, which she showed me. Moral: If it looks confusing, check with the person who knows how to figure out the numbers. It was virtually the same combination as you had.

 

[SAR01]

Slight thread drift.

how long is peanut butter good after the ex. date. I have just open some 5 yr old PB and it tastes great...it was Jif. I had some "other" cheaper brand that was on sale...was 3 yrs after the date, it didn't taste rancid, but it tasted strong, if that is how I can explain it. (strongly peanutty) I didn't eat that, but the dog seemed to like it!

I didn't see your post, Old Futz, but the brand that tasted off, was Skippy!

 

[Lone Wolf]

ALERT ALERT ATTENTION ATTENTION!!!

Now that I have actually COME HOME and seen it for myself, it is confirmed. It's not July 2020. It's July 20, 2008!!!!!! But it looks like this...

JULY202008....

How my wife could misinterpret that I haven't a clue. But she did.

And I doth made fun of her ceaselessly and to my great amusement.

I am now typing to you from the frozen tundra known around these parts...

...as the doghouse.

I sacrifice for my new friends here at TB2K.

heh...Tik..

Ya gonna get yours

maybe some 20 year old ravioli..goes good with milk bone...so I'm told...heh.

lw

 

[Hermit]

The Walmart here doesn't carry the newer, better tasting Chef Boyardee products with the Italian sausage and giant meatballs and whatnot. But what they carry is half the price of the good stuff.

 

[Mongoose333]

If I'm not mistaken, a lot of the old C-rations were products like Chef Boyardee spaghetti and meatballs. I know back in the 1970s I ate a few cans of C-rats from the 1940s that were pretty good, even if they had to be eaten cold.

Ever since, for hunting and camping trips I find that a can of Chef Boyardee (heated or unheated) and a peanut butter sandwich is a very satisfying meal.

WW

Do not believe they had C rations in the 40's think they were K-Rations. I was in uniform in the early 60's we had C-Rats. But in Korean war they had K-Rats. If you want some REGULAR FOOD for long term storage buy SPAM and Friutcakes. Think they are rated to last till DOOMSDAY.

 

[gillmanNSF]

I'm eating a can now

Not sure how old it is or where it came from. It was in my preps of canned goods, and as it was only one item, I tossed it in my truck to take to work on those nights where I don't have anything to take to work for lunch. Tonight is one of those nights.

The top of the can says, 10:13 3, next line says, K22001 R. Don't know what to make of it. Can't be that old, but newer cans read Best By.... This one doesn't, which leads me to think that it might be 5 years old. I opened it and it was still vacuum packed. Smelled good and looked fresh and the inside of the can looked new. Tasted great! I don't usually eat Chef Boyardee Ravioli, but like spam, I like it and will probably get some more to squirrel away.

 

[rolph]

I had the same problem three weeks ago regarding Skippy peanut butter that was on sale, only in this case the dates all had expired. I mentioned it to the clerk, she pulled more and found dates all over the calendar, then asked if I wanted to buy some! Nyet! Monday when back in town I checked in with the person in charge of receiving. The problem was in trying to decipher the lot number from the expiration number, which she showed me. Moral: If it looks confusing, check with the person who knows how to figure out the numbers. It was virtually the same combination as you had.

That's one of the problems I've found more frequent in buying items on sale. Expired food. It takes forEVER to shop for food storage and a good pair of reading glasses.

 

[eXe]

I have eaten Chef Boy Ardee stuff about 5 years after the phoney expire date and I can tell ya.. It tasted the same and was good stuff. I don't worry about the one year expiration dates anymore because it seems within the last year EVERYTHING has a "use by" date of one year in the future.. even seen some spam cans with it on. I just laugh because I have eaten the stuff ages after the best by date and its always been good.

I stock a good amt of the raviolis and rotate them out from time to time but its not a worry.

 

[Army Girl]

I like the dry tortellini that is found in the pasta section. How long will that keep?


You can make a great sauce for it by frying some garlic in olive oil then chop a tomato from the garden and oregano tossed in. Simmer it for a bit.

It goes for about $1.50 a package.

 

[Hermit]

Most pasta will keep good at least a couple of years, maybe several in my experience. Rice and beans stay good at least 10 years .... all three may need a little extra cooking if old.

I try to buy the canned stuff from major retailers like Walmart because there's such a high turnover of product, nothing much gets very old. It's the little mom-and-pop stores that can have stuff lying around for years.

 

[Freeholder]

The problem you may have with keeping pasta for a long time is bugs. They can chew holes in the packaging and get in, or sometimes there are already eggs inside the packaging (from the warehouse or the grocery store, usually), and they hatch. Wouldn't hurt to freeze stuff like this for a while, if you plan to store it for a long time.

Chef Boyardee! Yuck! Even when I could still eat wheat, stuff like this made me sick! Spam I can eat, in small quantities. Hotdogs and bologna ditto. Something in all of them that just turns my stomach. I suspect a preservative or something.

Kathleen