What do these date labels actually mean?
Confused by the dates on food packaging? You’re not alone! Date labels don’t always mean what we think. Let’s learn to trust our senses to judge whether food is still good to eat. Here’s a brief overview.
Follow Your Senses
When it comes to determining if food is still good to eat, use your senses. If it looks spoiled or smells bad, compost it!
Date Labels Don’t Indicate Safety
Date labels on food are for quality or freshness, not safety, according to the USDA. Some foods may be edible for longer. Regardless of date, always use your senses and best judgment before eating.
Sell By: Intended for inventory management in stores.
Freeze By: Suggests the date you should freeze the product to maintain peak quality.
Best If Used By/Best Before/Use By/Expires By: Date indicates when a product will have its best flavor or quality. It is not a safety date except for when used on infant formula as described below*.
* NOTE: Baby formula’s “Use-By” date ensures the formula contains not less than the quantity of each nutrient as described on the label. Do not buy or use baby formula after its “Use-By” date.
Additional Resources:
- Donation Guidance from the Alameda County Community Food Bank - These resources from our local food bank provide guidance on a wide range of food items, including suggestions and estimations for how long past the date code the food will still be good to eat. Detailed guidance is also available specifically around canned food safety.
- FoodKeeper App - Developed by the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service, with Cornell University and the Food Marketing Institute, the FoodKeeper helps you understand food and beverages storage. It will help you maximize the freshness and quality of items. By doing so you will be able to keep items fresh longer than if they were not stored properly.
- FoodSafety.gov - An official website of the United States government, providing news, alerts, and tips on safely handling and storing food to prevent food poisoning.