Eating old Food... Bad/Irresponsible or Heroic?

A coworker and I were shooting the shit when another cube-mate came walking down the hall clutching several bags of vending treats. Odd I thought. We're talking about someone who bikes something like 5 miles to work each and every day. The sort who I imagine makes informed decisions and read's the sides of cereal boxes.

My Spidey sense told me something was up.

I gave her a look, eye-brow raised.

Fit Coworker: "Free Expired Snacks in the Breakroom"

Aha.

Needless to say me and Jfizz immediately got up and started walking... being the sort of people who drive like 2 miles to work each day, there was no question.

As we were snatching items out of the bowl, the Pack-meister, another wage-slave, warned us that we should check to see just how out of date the food was. We completely ignored her.

Now.

I know what you’re thinking. Ugh, gross, and perhaps even poor bastards, but before you saddle up your high horse consider one thing. Who really is the poor bastard here?

Me and Jfizz?

Or is it you?

You who live within the artificial box that the Food Processors have forced on you. The carefully plotted boundaries of “Guaranteed Freshness”. Calculated with some supposed Formula that they would have you believe incorporates all of the uncertainties in a crazy mixed-up world.

So what if my Big Grab bag of Cheetos Crunchy expired today? Should I believe what's been written in black and white by those that "know about such things"? Am I going to pass up food that has been deemed inedible simply for litigious reasons?

Hell no.

Especially when that shit’s for FREE.

Of Course it was only later when I was eating Cheesy crackers that expired in March that I began to see the wisdom in the Pack-meister’s words.

One should judge risks wisely.
El Jefe