Moms who stock their pantries on a weekly basis often forget about old packages of pasta or cans of beans stashed way in the back of the bin. Before cooking, I rarely double check expiration dates. However, an email alerting me to the dangers of old mixes had me lifting every box and can in my kitchen last night.

To see what happened to one child, read more.

A mother who also happens to be a registered nurse whipped up a batch of pancakes for her high-school-aged son. While at school, the boy called his mom to tell her he was having trouble breathing. After a trip to the nurse's office, the paramedics were called and took him to the hospital. Pancake and cake mixes that have yeast can develop toxic mold spores over time. People allergic to mold may have a deadly reaction, which is why we all should pay attention to expiration dates. Luckily, the boy was all right.