{"id":34106,"date":"2022-01-19T15:53:12","date_gmt":"2022-01-19T22:53:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.betternutrition.com\/?p=34106"},"modified":"2022-01-27T18:03:55","modified_gmt":"2022-01-28T01:03:55","slug":"stop-wasting-perfectly-good-food-your-guide-to-food-expiration-dates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.betternutrition.com\/diet-and-nutrition\/cooking-tips-and-techniques\/stop-wasting-perfectly-good-food-your-guide-to-food-expiration-dates\/","title":{"rendered":"Make the Most Out of Your Groceries: Which Expiration Dates Matter?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Do you toss foods in the trash as soon as the best buy date arrives? Have you stood in front of your open fridge agonizing over whether a particular food item was still edible or not? While the date labels on different foods are supposed to make it easy to determine what\u2019s fresh and what\u2019s expired, they can be more complicated than clear.<\/span><\/p>\n

Misunderstanding food expiration date labels is an incredibly common problem. <\/span>A recent research study<\/span><\/a> found that only 46 percent of its participants understood what a \u201cBest If Used By\u201d label meant. Even worse, just 24 percent correctly interpreted a \u201cUse By\u201d label. But failing to understand these labels is bad for your wallet and the environment. It leads to a whole lot of food that\u2019s still perfectly safe to eat winding up in the trash.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you\u2019re wondering what\u2019s safe to eat and what needs to be tossed, learn what the different food date and expiration date labels really mean \u2013 and make the most out of your groceries.<\/span><\/p>\n

Do food date labels really matter?<\/h2>\n

You might be surprised to learn that food date labels, whether they\u2019re \u201cSell By\u201d labels or expiration dates, are actually subjective and assigned to different food items by the manufacturer.<\/span><\/p>\n

In fact, there is actually very little government oversight in how foods are labeled. The process of labeling foods with these dates is officially known as <\/span>food product dating<\/span><\/a> by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). And it\u2019s completely voluntary for all food products \u2013 except baby food, the sole exception.<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s another startling fact: expiration dates don\u2019t actually indicate when a food expires. As J. Kenji L\u00f3pez-Alt explains for <\/span>The<\/span><\/i> New York Times<\/span><\/i><\/a>, food product dating has little to do with safety. It\u2019s simply the manufacturer\u2019s best estimate as to when that item will worsen in quality. And in general, food manufacturers tend to underestimate these dates just to be on the safe side.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, technically, the food <\/span>could<\/span><\/i> go bad by the date on the label. But since manufacturers err on the side of safety, it\u2019s more likely that the food is still fine to eat. You can think of these labels as suggestions, not hard and fast rules about when it\u2019s time to throw out a particular product.<\/span><\/p>\n

What food date labels actually mean<\/h2>\n

Part of the reason food date labels are so confusing is the lack of consistency. Because the USDA doesn\u2019t regulate these labels, manufacturers are not held to the same standard across the board.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to <\/span>the USDA<\/span><\/a>, food labels fall into two categories: Open Dating or Closed Dating. Open Dating is a calendar-based date, which is used to indicate when a food product will be at its best quality. Closed Dating isn\u2019t actually a date; it\u2019s a code that can include letters and numbers, and it\u2019s meant to mark the production date and time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

But neither of these labeling methods is standardized or universally accepted, so you can catch some pretty varied date labels at your local grocery store. There\u2019s also no rule that manufacturers must use a \u201cBest By\u201d or \u201cUse By\u201d label along with these dates, except on meat, poultry and egg products.<\/span><\/p>\n

So, how do you know what an expiration date or date label means? Here\u2019s an explainer for three of the most commonly used labels.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sell By<\/h3>\n

When you see a \u201cSell By\u201d label followed by a specific date, this actually isn\u2019t a label meant for you. It\u2019s <\/span>for the grocery store or retailer<\/span><\/a> \u2013 and it\u2019s designed to tell them when it\u2019s time to take a food product off the store\u2019s shelves. You don\u2019t have to worry about this date, since foods are still perfectly safe to consume at their \u201cSell By\u201d date.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Best If Used By<\/h3>\n

The \u201cBest If Used By\u201d label, which can also appear as \u201cBest Before,\u201d is supposed to indicate when a product is at its best quality or flavor. Foods don\u2019t expire once their \u201cBest If Used By\u201d date arrives; they\u2019re just a little beyond their prime. You can safely eat foods past this \u201cexpiration\u201d date, and you\u2019ll likely notice no difference at all.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Use By<\/h3>\n

A \u201cUse By\u201d date label is similar to a \u201cBest If Used By\u201d date. It\u2019s chosen to indicate when a food is at its best quality. So, eating a food product past its \u201cUse By\u201d date is totally fine \u2013 you just might not get it at its most flavorful, crunchy or crisp.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

There\u2019s just one exception to this label: baby food. As <\/span>Consumer Reports<\/span><\/a> explains, baby food that has a \u201cUse By\u201d date really does expire (and become unsafe) at the date on its label.<\/span><\/p>\n

Freeze By<\/h3>\n

The \u201cFreeze By\u201d date label, which is commonly found on meat of all kinds, isn\u2019t an expiration date. It\u2019s more of a recommended date by which to freeze your meat so it\u2019ll stay at its peak quality. Don\u2019t panic or worry about cooking meat ASAP if it\u2019s reached its \u201cFreeze By\u201d deadline; it\u2019s typically still safe to eat. You\u2019ll just want to make sure to follow the <\/span>USDA\u2019s refrigeration guidelines<\/span><\/a>: cook or freeze beef within 3 to 5 days, and do the same for poultry and fish within 1 to 2 days.<\/span><\/p>\n

How to tell what\u2019s expired and what\u2019s safe<\/h2>\n

If you\u2019re still iffy about eating food past these food date labels, it\u2019s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the signs of spoiling in different foods. Foods will develop odors, different textures, change in flavor and develop mold as they go bad.<\/span><\/p>\n

The USDA offers <\/span>general guidelines for food safety<\/span><\/a> and expiration. Here\u2019s how long you can safely keep and eat foods like the following:<\/span><\/p>\n