Those elusive expiration dates

Dear Annie: Could manufacturers please mark their food products with expiration dates that are easy to locate and read? I probably spend a third of my grocery shopping time squinting, turning products round and round or holding them up to light, trying to locate teeny-tiny black type on, for example, dark brown iced tea bottles or embossed lettering on lids of yogurt containers. And why do they have the date stamped on the bottom, forcing people to pick up and turn each container? Why do they put dates on the ends of egg cartons so people must unload an entire shelf of fragile eggs trying to seek out the elusive printed dates?

How about some buyer-friendly bright type on the fronts? Wouldn’t that be just as easy for the producers as what appears to be their attempt at play hide-and-seek? Exasperated by Expiration Dates Dear Exasperated: I was surprised to learn that there are no federal laws requiring companies to print expiration dates on food products. Some states have laws mandating expiration dates on meat and milk, but that’s about it. So you can’t rely on these dates as the ultimate pantry authority.

Dear Annie: I am somewhat appalled by “Wish She’d Stop,” who complained about her 82-year-old mother. Having her mother over once a week is very nice and expected. Considering no longer inviting her mother for dinner is an indication of this daughter’s lack of compassion and understanding.

My 92-year-old mother lives with my husband and me, along with her yappy little dog, who has accidents in the house often. My mother has unpleasant habits, as well. For instance, she leaves messes in the bathroom. I would never humiliate her by pointing this out to her. I discreetly slip into her bathroom and clean the fixtures. When we have guests, I leave antiseptic wipes on the counter. I also have them use the other bathroom. When her dog leaves little gifts on the carpet, I pick them up and never complain. It is my responsibility to take the dog for walks to avoid this inconvenience.

It is no big deal to treat her mom with proper respect. Mothers this age come from the greatest generation known in our lifetime. Caregiver in Arizona

Dear Caregiver: Bravo for finding the most compassionate way to handle what many of us would consider problems. Your degree of sympathy is inspiring.