You should never eat anything that has surpassed your shelf-life.

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In winter, with the cold wind chilling your skin and hunger gnawing at your stomach, you find a forgotten almond butter jar in the back of a dark cupboard. It is very old. Its best by date reads May 2017. That was five months ago! If it has been sitting out on a hot summer day for an entire afternoon, how much worse must its condition be now?

Does this mean that expired almond butter will actually make you sick? Is it safe to eat? Well, not exactly . . .

Almond butter is an edible substance derived from almonds and often contains other ingredients such as salt or sugar which have expiration dates independently of the nut product itself. In truth, there are two main factors you should concern yourself with if considering eating expired almond butter: its smell and taste.

If the inside of the jar has an unpleasant odor, do not eat it. Any food that is detectable for your sense of smell is not safe to eat. If you can detect even a slight amount of rancidness or artificial sweetness that was previously masked by other ingredients in the product, discard it immediately.

If upon tasting your expired treat there still seems to be no change in flavor compared to before, then go ahead and enjoy! Remember though, if you experience any indigestion or other symptoms after consuming it (even eight hours later) stay away from this type of food product again in the future. It will make you sick.

A jar of almond butter should last about three months in the pantry and one year in the fridge once it has been opened. Use these tips to determine whether or not your almond butter is still safe for consumption after its best by date!