Some people follow food expiration dates to the letter and immediately toss out food items once they are past it. Others take a more relaxed approach, viewing expiration dates as more of a suggestion. When a household has a mix of these two approaches, things can get pretty interesting, as one viral TikTok video shows.
TikToker Alanna Barron recently shared a clip that shows her mom, Maria, getting animated because of the “annual refrigerator purge” that was taking place in her house. Alanna’s brother Tyler and his wife Ally can be seen going through the fridge and tossing out expired food items. They ended up finding sesame oil that expired in 2015, a bottle of Sriracha that should have been used back in 2018, and clam juice that isn’t juice anymore.
Maria, on the other hand, is pleading with them to stop, making her case for keeping the expired food with an unusual argument.
“Have you died yet? No,” she tells her kids at one point.
The video quickly spread on social media, getting close to 13 million views in just a couple of weeks. While most users had a few chuckles because of Maria’s reaction, there were some who actually understood where she was coming from.
“I really don’t understand the unconditional bond parents have with expired goods in the fridge,” one user wrote.
If this clip prompted you to check the family fridge, here is one tip that will help you keep peace in your household.
“My mom was like this. Pro tip: Do it while she is away and replace with new for items she actually uses. Sealed old stuff just throw away,” one TikToker suggested.
