Insight from someone who used to work in retail. Also, my husband currently works at a grocery store. In fact, he regularly gets asked to travel to other locations to find and discard out of date food.

There are two main factors to food on shelves being in date:

1. It needs to be stocked properly. That is to say, old stuff needs to be pulled to the front, and new stuff needs to be put behind it. It’s worth noting here that the correct way is more difficult than the easy way (just putting new stuff in front).

2. You need employees to regularly check items on the shelves to ensure they are still in date.

And that’s really it. You’re noticing more out of date stuff, because every major retail store in the country is cutting staff to save money. You cut staff, and what you are left with is fewer employees who aren’t as well trained. They cut corners while stocking, and they do not have enough time to properly check dates later either.

It’s “advance copy,” because you’re getting it in advance of the release date.

I’m a picky eater, but it’s mostly because of texture-related issues. (However, I am also picky about flavors.) Wrong textures make me want to gag. I don’t actually gag, because I’ve learned to suppress it.

I have no problem trying new things. I just often immediately hate the new things. However, I will try it again after enough time had passed. Sometimes, it will be prepared differently enough to be appetizing. Other times, I will start to like a flavor that I once hated. I have never had my texture preferences change.

Which texture do I hate? I call it the “wrong kind of mushy.” It’s hard to explain, because I do like some mushy foods. Mashed, baked, or boiled potatoes? Almost always gag inducing. Oatmeal? Wonderful. Hiding small amount of wrong mushy foods among foods with a better texture sometimes helps, but only if I like the flavor despite the mush.

Edit to add: I hate onions with a burning passion. Every way except powdered. Onions induce the strongest gag reflex, and many people think I’m weird for hating onions. I’ve come to hate the flavor of (anything but powdered) onion by association, so I often can’t eat foods that once had onion in them even after being completely removed.