Food products provide Sell By, Use By, and Best Before dates to make sure the consumer is eating foods with the highest quality and flavor. These dates are often confused with food safety when what they are actually referring to is food quality. 

So what is the difference between food quality and food safety? 
Food quality refers to when food has the best taste and appearance. Food safety refers to the safe steps in food handling, cooking, and storage to prevent food-borne illness. Food can be safe without being in its most delicious form.

Confusion about these dates results in a great deal of food waste. The USDA estimates that 30% of all food in America is wasted. This includes waste from food retailers, such as grocery stores. It also includes the food we buy only to end up throwing away.

Best Before, Best By, Use By, or Expiration Date (Exp. Date)

  • What it is: the last date that food will be at its highest quality. This is when it will look and taste best.
  • What it is not: a safety date (unless referring to infant formula).

Sell By Date

  • What it is: a date that helps the store know their inventory for a particular product. It also tells them how long the product can stay on the shelf.
  • What it is not: a safety date.

The Takeaway 
Food dates assume the food has been prepared and handled in the best way. This includes how the food gets to the store and how the consumer makes use of it. While food dates are important, we need to inspect food before and after the Best Before or Sell By date. Just because the date has passed, does not mean the food has gone bad. Also, once the food is opened, it is possible for it to spoil sooner even if stored properly and has a future date marked on it.

Because food dates are about quality and not safety, inspecting food will help us know whether or not any given food product is still safe to eat.

What does it mean to inspect your food? Look for the following: 

  • An unpleasant or abnormal odor or color.
  • Any mold or damage to the food product.
  • Large dents, swelling, or rust on canned foods.
  • A different taste or texture than is normal.

Tip

When in doubt, throw it out!
If you notice any of these signs, the food is no longer safe to eat. Trust your senses.

Making the Most of the Food in Your Kitchen
Here are some examples of how to use food that is not at its highest quality but is still safe to eat: 

  • Cutting out the bruised part of an apple and eating the rest.

  • Taking a soft banana and putting it in a smoothie or banana bread.

  • Freezing berries that are losing their freshness. They can then be added to muffins, pancakes, or smoothies when you’re ready to use them.

  • Removing the moldy part of a block of hard or semi-soft cheese by cutting 1-inch around and below the area with mold. (This only works with hard cheeses such as cheddar, Colby, Parmesan, and Swiss. Softer cheeses, such as ricotta or cottage cheese, or those that have been crumbled, shredded, or sliced should be tossed if they have mold on them.)

  • Cooking root vegetables such as carrots, celery, or onions that have lost their freshness in a soup or stew.

  • Pureeing soft tomatoes and freezing them for up to 6 months. Use pureed tomatoes in any recipe calling for tomato sauce.

What’s the Rule for Meat and Eggs? 
The Sell By dates found on meat and egg products are more for the store than for you. Once you bring the food home, you can freeze it unless you plan on using it right away. 

  • If your meat or poultry has an off odor or is sticky or slimy to the touch, it should be tossed.

  • Ground meats and poultry should be cooked or frozen within 1-2 days.

  • Beef, lamb, and pork that is not ground should be cooked or frozen within 3-5 days.

  • Freeze larger meats in smaller portions and only thaw what you will use when you need it.

  • Already cooked poultry and sausage should be eaten within 3-4 days.

  • Unopened lunch meats are safe for up to two weeks, but once opened, should be eaten within 3-5 days.

  • Bacon and hot dogs are safe for up to two weeks if they are unopened, but once opened, should be used within one week.

  • Eggs can be safe to eat up to 3 or more weeks after the Sell By date. If you are not sure if your eggs are safe, Crack the egg into a bowl and examine it for an off-odor or unusual appearance before deciding to use or discard it. A spoiled egg will have an unpleasant odor when you break open the shell, either when raw or cooked.