Grocery prices have skyrocketed over the last few years and while you're looking to save money you need to be careful. There are a few things you definitely do not want to eat after their expiration date.

When you were a child did you ever reach into the fridge for something and notice the item was past its expiration date? I feel like the famous line from parents and grandparents was, "does it smell ok?" Is thisreally the best idea when it comes to food that might need to be tossed?

Akdemirhk; ThinkStock

If you spot mold on it, that's probably a good indicator if the scent isn't enough. The visible text could be another sign but not always. When I was a kid I was always getting in trouble for tossing out french onion dip. In my little mind, that water in the container meant I should throwit away. It wasn't until into my 20s that I accepted it just needed to be stirred.

Do you know which items in your fridge should be thrown away when their expiration date hits? You might be surprised by this.

Soft cheeses like Velveeta, feta, brie, blue, and queso fresco need to be given the ol' heave-ho. This is especially important if they're made with unpasteurized milk.)

A variety of packages of ground beef at the supermarket

Whole meats may be OK to keep after their expiration dates but ground meats are not, they're more likely to have contamination.

Believe it or not, chicken breasts come from the store with a whole lot of bacteria. Once that expiration date is passed, toss it. Alfalfa sprouts and eggs also made the list.

[h/t Prevention]

To prepare yourself for a potential incident, always keep your vet's phone number handy, along with an after-hours clinic you can call in an emergency. The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center also has a hotline you can call at (888) 426-4435 for advice.

Even with all of these resources, however, the best cure for food poisoning is preventing it in the first place. To give you an idea of what human foods can be dangerous, Stacker has put together a slideshow of 30 common foods to avoid. Take a look to see if there are any that surprise you.

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Hey Illinois, There Are 5 Foods You Need To Throw Out After Their Expiration Dates - q985online.com