It all depends on your core values.
Some people like my dad lived through the Vietnam war where he was stuck for dead out in no man's land. Soiled bread was a staple.
He told me he rather die than wasting food. He also tells me about the karma effect that if you spoil food, your kids or their kids will grow up hungry as God's punishment.
I eat every crumb of rice in my bowl vs my white wash MN cuz who left 10% of rice all over the place to be thrown away. His parents don't say nothing so the habits continued with him till this day.
At my techie company, we hired contingent workers so I've been eye balling these tv dinner in the fridge. 3 boxes to be exact. Been there since last year so my azz ate one if them n it tasted nasty. Looked at the expiration date to all three boxes and yep, over due foods. It was in the freezer so the spoiling process takes a longer time. Still edible but the freshness is not there. Now there is 1 box left. Guess my other co workers forgot to bring their lunch and decided to eat one. I'm sure he don't read. In sure of that. Usually foods that are still there by Sunday gets discarded but janitor been lazy in that department.
I go with the visual n smell test. I don't go by the expiration date cuz those could be the freshness by dates as a guranteed by the manufacturer.
Only milk is the exception. They tend to go out after the expiration date n I'm not down to do the smell or taste test with milk.