How About a Date?
According to the FDA, Americans are throwing away about one-third of our food — roughly 20 pounds per person per month. Uncertainty about the meaning of food dates causes us to waste about 20% of our food. There are a wide variety of phrases used, and food doesn’t necessarily need to be thrown out just because of a date.
“Use By” Date
The “Use-By” date is the last date for use of the product while at peak quality. It is not a safety date, except when used on infant formula.
Guidelines for Freshness
- Eggs: go by “sell-by” date; store 3-5 weeks in the back of the refrigerator.
- Milk: 7 days. Store in the back of the refrigerator.
- Ground meat/poultry: 1-2 days
- Cooked meat/poultry: 3-4 days
- Steaks: 3-5 days
- Lunch meat: 2 weeks unopened, 3-5 days opened
- Dry pasta: 1-2 years
- Canned fruit: 12-18 months, or 5-7 days after opening
- Rice and dried beans: 2 years, or 3-4 days in the refrigerator after cooking
Special exception for infant formula: Federal regulations require a “Use-By” date on infant formula. Consumption by this date ensures the formula contains at least the quality of each nutrient described on the label, and that it will maintain an acceptable quality to pass through an ordinary bottle nipple. Do not buy or use baby formula after its “Use By” date.
“Sell By” Date
This date lets the store know how long to display the product for sale for inventory management.
Special Tips
- Keep your refrigerator below 40 degrees F and use airtight containers.
- Use the “first in, first out” method to rotate pantry goods.
- Freeze meat, cheese, and bread near the “sell by” date.
- Don’t fear the “best by” date. It’s about quality, not safety.
- Trust your nose, mouth, eyes, and your brain to tell you if food is bad.
“Best Before” Date
Indicates when a product will be at its best in terms of quality or flavor. It is not a purchase or safety date.
Signs of Food Spoilage
- Smells “off”
- Moldy
- Different texture than it is supposed to be
- Unpleasant
Above all: when in doubt, throw it out!
For guidance, see the “Safe Food Storage: The Refrigerator and Freezer” Kansas State University Extension publication, available at https://www.extension.k-state.edu/humannutrition/foodstorage.html.
Flyer put together by Thursday Night Live FCE (Family and Community Education) Unit, Bourbon County.