Expired Products: Are They Safe to Use?

4. Bags of tea

Ends in: A year $4* is the average price. For many homes, tea bags are an essential item in the pantry. Whether they are tea or coffee lovers, everyone has a hidden supply in the cabinet for unexpected visitors. Although purchasing a single bumper pack and using it as needed may seem like a smart idea, proceed with caution.

dipping a teabag ©Shutterstock/nnuu_jeed Tea begins to lose its flavor after a year. Though it doesn't technically expire, the tea's flavor, texture, and color begin to fade and will only grow worse with time. Even though your tea is technically safe to drink for years to come, if it has an expiration date on it, it has something to do with its quality. Even if serving out-of-date tea won't get anyone sick, it's definitely a bad etiquette move that shouldn't be made again. Even though worse things have happened, no one wants to be known as the house with the awful tea.