It may come as a shock, but printed food dates are not federally regulated and do not refer to food safety. Thus, it is usually safe to eat your “expired” food after its printed date has passed. This article helps you determine what’s in a “use by”, “best before”, “best by” or “sell by” date to help you break away from the food date myth. Utilize the shelf life resource and stop throwing out perfectly good food.
Definitions of Popular Food Dates
Best Before Date – The “Best Before Date” is, according to the manufacturer, the last date by which a products flavor or quality is best, the optimal time of its shelf life for quality. The product may still be enjoyed after the “best before date.” Additionally the manufacturer may call this the “Best if Used By” date or the “Best By” date, which indicates that the quality of food might diminish after that date, but it is still good to eat and the shelf life is still active.
Use By Date – The “Use By Date” is the last day that the manufacturer vouches for the product’s quality. The use by date is the date the manufacturers recommend to use the product for “peak quality” in the food. So you may eat the food after the use by date, but it likely is not going to be at peak quality.
Sell By Date – The “Sell By Date” on a product is the items expiration date, the end of its shelf life at the store. This is the last date stores are supposed to display the product for sale, after the Sell By Date the stores should remove the product, the Shelf Life has expired. Although the food product may be used and enjoyed past this date, it is not recommended to purchase a product if the Sell By date has past.
Shelf Life – The “Shelf Life” of food is used in reference to these common codes (Use by Date, Sell by Date, and Best Before Date). The Shelf Life depends on which code is used and the type of product in question. Please see the specific page for your product to determine the proper shelf life of food because the Shelf Life is different for each particular item!
Don’t Throw Out Your Food!
All foods, except infant formula, have a life beyond their printed date, whatever the manufacturer has chosen to call the date. Read through the pages of your favorite foods at Eat By Date so you can make informed decisions both at home and at the store. Don’t be scared to purchase the reduced priced food simply because the date has passed, it will taste great and save you cash. Additionally, while it is best to use your groceries in a first in – first out matter, don’t be bound to printed dates. The packaged food will last well beyond its best by date, use by date and sell by date, so learn to take advantage of the extra time with the tips on what to do with foods about to expire sections.
132 Pounds of Wasted Food Each Month
A new study by Reuters has found that, on average, Americans throw away 33 pounds of food each month, meaning that the average family of 4 produces 132 pounds of wasted food each month! In terms finances, that is about $160 a month going straight to the garbage. Additionally, this study found 40% of food harvested in America goes to the landfill. While a good amount of this food has surely gone bad, we have no doubt that many Americans are throwing out perfectly good food simply because of the misconception on the printed date. We hope this article can help you reduce the waste, help the environment and start saving money. Please see “Save Money and the Environment by Decreasing Food Waste” blog post from Eat By Date to find more on this issue.
Average Shelf Life of Foods you can eat past the expiration date
If you’re tired of wasting good food, the LA Times lists foods that can be eaten past the expiration date, if properly stored. With help from experts and product manufacturers, Real Simple has compiled a guide to expiration dates. These dates are offered as a rough guideline. The shelf lives of most products depend upon how you treat them. Edibles, unless otherwise indicated, should be stored in a cool, dry place. (With any food, of course, use common sense).
Unopened: 4 months.
Brown sugar: Indefinite shelf life, stored in a moisture-proof container in a cool, dry place.
Chocolate (Hershey bar): 1 year from production date
Coffee, canned ground: Unopened: 2 years. Opened: 1 month refrigerated Coffee, gourmet: Beans: 3 weeks in paper bag, longer in vacuum-seal bag (after this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume) Ground: 1 week in sealed container Coffee, instant: Unopened: Up to 2 years Opened: Up to 1 month
Diet soda (and soft drinks in plastic bottles): Unopened: 3 months from “best by” date. Opened: Doesn’t spoil, but taste is affected.
Meat: If you freeze it, it will give the meat around a 50% longer shelf life.
Canned goods: Keep the cans in a cool, dark area to extend — and in some instances, double — the shelf life.
Eggs: Men’s Health nutrition expert Alan Aragon suggests doing a float test for the eggs. If you put an egg in a bowl of water and it floats, it means gases have built up in the shell, and it’s not safe to eat. If it sinks, you’re good to go.
Pasta: 12 months. Since it’s a dry, hard product, it won’t spoil easily. You can use it past the expiration date, just make sure it doesn’t smell funny.
Bread: Bread will keep in the freezer past the expiration date as long as you don’t spot any mold.
Fresh fruits and vegetables: Use common sense with fruits and vegetables. Check if it’s mushy, moldy or has an “off” smell.
Frozen food: Unopened: 12 to 18 months. These products will keep long after the expiration date, but if we’re talking meat, the expiration period will usually only extend by 50%.
Frozen Vegetables: Unopened: 18 to 24 months Opened: 1 month
Packaged greens. It’s OK to eat the lettuce if it’s wilting, just not decaying. Food safety expert Ted Labuza suggests soaking the lettuce in ice water for 10 minutes.
Honey: Indefinite shelf life
Dry goods (crackers, corn chips): Check if the chips or crackers are stale. You can try crisping them in the toaster oven. But if they smell odd, throw them away.
Milk: Labuza says pasteurized milk will keep 50% longer if you store it at a lower temperature. Try storing at the back of the fridge rather than the fridge door.
Juice, bottled (apple or cranberry): Unopened: 8 months from production date
Ketchup: Unopened: 1 year (after this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume) Opened or used: 4 to 6 months (after this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume)
Maple syrup, real or imitation: 1 year
Maraschino cherries: Unopened: 3 to 4 years Opened: 2 weeks at room temperature; 6 months refrigerated
Marshmallows: Unopened: 40 weeks Opened: 3 months
Mayonnaise: Unopened: Indefinitely Opened: 2 to 3 months from “purchase by” date (after this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume)
Mustard: 2 years (after this time, color or flavor may be affected, but product is still generally safe to consume)
Things you should never use past their expiration date
The way that a particular food looks or smells can be a good indicator of its safety but it’s better to discard some foods when they pass their expiration date regardless of their appearance or odor.
Mixed greens and bagged salad mixes (regardless of how many times they are washed prior to purchase) have a tendency to carry certain bacteria associated with poor sanitation because they are handled so frequently. Mixed greens also get a dark, slimy appearance as they expire; a visual cue that they’re no long safe to consume.
Fresh berries can carry a parasite called cyclospora. Always wash berries thoroughly before consuming them and don’t use them past their expiration date or once they begin to break down, whichever comes first.
Deli meat should never be consumed past its expiration date, even if it hasn’t developed a strange odor or slimy appearance; it can carry listeria, bacteria that can grow in cold temperatures. That means listeria can thrive even if your deli meat has been properly stored in the refrigerator.
The chances of an egg being contaminated inside the shell are very low (about five thousandths of one percent) but egg shells commonly carry bacteria. If your eggs have passed their expiration date it’s best to either toss them or use them for hard-boiled eggs.
Ground meats are generally more dangerous to consume post-expiration date when compared with whole cuts of meat; ground meats are handled more (including the grinding process) and may include meat from many different slaughterhouses – all this adds up to more opportunities for contamination.
Soft cheeses (especially those made with unpasteurized milk) can be contaminated with listeria. With soft cheeses it’s difficult to effectively trim away any moldy or spoiled portions. If soft cheeses like queso fresco, feta, brie, or blue are past their expiration date it’s best to throw them away.
Alfalfa sprouts can be dangerous to consume after their expiration date as well. The sprouts need a warm, moist environment to grow, the same environment bacteria needs to thrive. Since spouts are most often eaten raw, it’s difficult to eliminate any bacteria that may be present.
Raw Chicken: Consumer Reports tested 300 store-bought chicken breasts for bacteria; 97% of the chicken breasts were contaminated — not surprising given the conditions under which chickens are raised, and rising nationwide concerns about antibiotic-resistant bacteria. If your chicken is past its expiration date, toss it — it’s not worth the risk.
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