Thanks one-and-all for your responses. I can't imagine what I would have bought them for in the first place, and I could not really see myself using them. However when I happened upon them, I thought that it would be fun to ask. Betteirene, I appreciate the recipe. I was tempted, but I am thinking that I should use those other good ingredients to make some gingerbread or ginger cookies that we can eat. Now, I need to put on a miner's cap and see what else may be hiding in the back of the frig.

I like Bette's answer, as I hate wasting anything. But I agree with everyone else; that stuff is not fit for human consumption.

When life hands you butter-flavored Crisco, make gingerbread men, houses or ornaments. They smell good and look good and last forever if kept dry. You might even think they taste as good as they smell; I don't. But I love this dough anyway because it's easy and forgiving and it allows you to use whatever you have on hand.

Gingerbread for Crafts
1/2 cup shortening, margarine or butter
3/4 cup sugar or brown sugar
1/4 cup water or milk or old coffee
4 Tbsp. molasses, corn syrup or honey
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. ground cloves
2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
2 Tbsp. ground ginger
3/4 tsp. baking soda

In a Dutch oven, cook the butter, sugar, water and corn syrup at low heat until the butter melts. Add the flour, cloves, cinnamon, ginger and baking soda and mix with a wooden spoon until combined. Divide dough in half. Flatten and pat or roll out each half of the dough on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for about an hour, until the dough stiffens. Cut out shapes, leaving at least a finger-width between shapes; remove excess dough from the first two baking sheets to a third parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees and begin checking for doneness after 8 minutes. The baking time will depend on the thickness of the dough and the size of the ornaments, but the gingerbread should be golden to medium brown. Decorate with royal icing (2 egg whites and 3 cups powdered sugared beaten until the consistency of marshmallow creme) and cinnamon red hots, dragees or other small candies.

Eww. toss 'em. Fats absorb all kinds of fridge odors.

I wouldn't even use it to moisturize. AJ's right - call Crisco and ask. Now I'm curious!

Maybe to lubricate a sticky door. You don't really want to eat that, do you?

I know that I would not use them, even if fresh (because I don't care for the product), but if iI were you, I'd call the company that manufactures Crisco and ask them. They'll know what those codes mean, and the shelf life, etc., and will be able to tell you better than any of us whether there are any "issues" relating to the product's age. ;o)