No way!

Laura came for a two day visit last week. It was her break from school so it was nice of her to come home for a couple of days and spend it with me. While she was here I started cleaning my pantry. This is the closet that I had lots of cookbooks in. Michelle made a comment once about my cookbooks (the quantity) so I got rid of about half of them. I have been slowly getting the food out of the closet and using it for small appliances and paper products. I guess I am trying to organize a little better.

Since Laura is going to Culinary School I love to give her the kitchen gadgets that I no longer need. So with her home for a visit it was a great opportunity to have her look at the things I don't want and she can tell me if she wants them or not.

I reached behind something and pulled out a bottle of Kraft barbecue sauce. Laura could tell from the label that it was old. I didn't think it looked that old but I was completely shocked when I saw the date on it.
Yes, that says best when used by October 12, 1989. Usually when you buy something it has a date about a year or so ahead so I may have purchased that bottle of barbecue sauce in 1988. So, it is almost as old as Laura, it is 21 years old!



I have been going through my food every year and throwing out the old stuff so I am surprised to find it. It was hidden, but how could I have overlooked it? We moved here in 1992 so we would have had to move it here from our other house.

I also found this bottle of Karo syrup which she thought looked old as well. I do have to say it is a glass bottle and they don't use glass bottles anymore. I don't think the label looks old. But then, I am almost 50...

I honestly think my children are playing a practical joke on me. I think one of them, probably Laura, put it in the pantry just to make me clean even more.