From double-dipping, storing butter at room temperature, to drinking old milk, there are many old wives’ food-tales out there we all live by on the daily. There are a lot of food rules that everyone lives by, but never really understand why. Case in point: the five-second rule. A spokesperson for the FDA (Food and Drug Administration), Peter Cassell, spoke with BuzzFeed answering some of our most pressing food questions. Cassell is the expert on the matter, as he advises others on food safety policies, outbreaks, and recalls.

Food myth number 1: You shouldn’t double-dip. 

via pexels

The answer: Half false. 

“Drinking milk a day or two after the milk’s expiration date (otherwise known as the sell-by date) may not be a safety issue and more of a taste issue.” However, be mindful that drinking milk any time after its expiration date “does increase the risk of developing food-borne illness from bacteria that might have grown.” Rule of thumb: those who are part of immunocompromised populations, such as the children, pregnant women, and the elderly, and the milk is way past its expiration date, don’t risk it. Otherwise, you’re good to go.