Ok. I admit it. There are some items in my kitchen that are past their sell-by-date and I am not referring to Mr La La.

I don't allow mould or shrivelled, darkened, weeping or rancid produce to lurk in my fridge. Canned goods, once desired but pushed aside in favour of sun blush tomatoes and extra virgin olive oil, do occasionally escape my line of vision.

Fortunately there have been no explosions of fermenting yoghurt and I have always remembered to take the wine out of the freezer before major damage occurs.

When my sons lived at home anything in the fridge that did not need cooking was fair game who needs sell-by dates when the goodies won't survive the next 24 hours?

Now, when they visit, every item is carefully examined for the sell-by-date, and I am looked upon disapprovingly as a sell-by-date rebel. They don't understand how the human race survived for so long without the guidance of the sell-by, best-by date. One day they will understand the words of Mama La La.

My approach to food is to buy it fresh, preferably loose without a sell-by-date. Get to know what good quality fresh food is like.

Use your senses to look: does it look fresh, is it the right colour and shape, is it shiny or matt is that right?

Feel: does it feel right; is it soft, hard, springy, sticky, flexible, dry or wet?

Smell: does it smell fresh, fruity, spicy, nasty should it?

Sound: cut a fresh apple and you can hear the crisp, clean swoosh of the knife, smell the juice and feel the firmness of the flesh. If it's past its best you'll hear a dull, dry rasp as the knife goes through the tired old crumbling fruit.

And finally taste: if you don't know if it's safe to eat by this time and you are feeling brave, taste a little piece. If it tastes nasty you won't eat it, and you are unlikely to suffer anything more than a bad taste in your mouth.

Remember - look, feel, smell, sound, taste - and start to trust your own judgement, not the sell-by-date.