Can you use a 7 year old jar of mince meat for a pie?

The expiration date is just there to keep people looking to make sure they haven't had something around too long. Nothing happens to you when the food expires, especially if it's canned or frozen. The taste may suffer slightly depending on how long it's been expired. Refrigerated items usually have a longer life than the expiration date, but most often that's an indicator of how long it's been in the grocery store.