Can you eat butter after the expiration date?

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Essential for breakfast, both cooking and baking, there’s always at least a pat of butter in every refrigerator, and for good reason! We will be the champion in terms of consumption of this food with about 8 kg of butter per person per year. However, sometimes, it happens that these fats are put aside and when we get our hands on them again, we do not know if it is still time to use them. Can we eat butter after its expiry date? We tell you everything!

Like many products such as yogurt, biscuits, flour or fruit juice, butter has a DDM or best before date. All of its edibles can therefore be eaten several days after this date has passed, provided the product is well preserved and has no odd appearance, smell or taste. This contradicts the DDM usage time frame which should be carefully respected. It is usually present on fresh products such as meat and fish, certain cold meats and certain dairy products. Consuming these foods after their shelf life can be hazardous to your health.

About butter, as you understand, it can still be eaten several days (or months if frozen) after the expiration date, although it may lose some flavor and texture.

The best way to store butter is obviously to keep it in a cool place. You can eat it for 2 to 3 weeks. If you leave it at room temperature, it will be easier for bacteria to attack it and it may spoil. Be careful, though, to seal it tightly or wrap it with aluminum foil. Butter tends to smell like all the food in the fridge, especially neighboring cheeses or leeks.

Our advice: Use only as much butter as you actually need for your next recipe. Changes in temperature will really degrade it, especially when it’s too hot.

Now that you know all about butter, should we spread a piece on toast?