[abainbridge]

That wouldn't make me happy. If the sharpie on the tape said it was bad, I'd still look at it, sniff it and probably eat it. Certain foods scare me though. eg there's a common claim that boiled rice shouldn't be kept for more than a day and then re-heated. I follow this received wisdom even though it never seems bad and I don't know anyone who got ill from eating re-heated boiled rice. On the other hand, raw chicken does not scare me because I have an uncontrollable revulsion to it when it has actually gone bad. And of course, Camembert isn't worth eating until at least a fortnight after the expiry date.

[zcw100]

It does't tell you if it's bad, it only tells you how old it is. You get to decide if you want to eat it. It makes the decision process easier and helps to select the older leftovers that are still good but pushing it on the age.

[jiehong]

Fried rice is traditionally made with cold leftover rice from the previous day.

Yet, making just the right quantity each time is invaluable to avoid any waste!