Understand expiration dates to stop throwing away good food

"Best by" and "sell by" dates are manufacturer suggestions for peak quality, not safety deadlines. Most foods are perfectly safe well beyond these dates. Use your senses: look, smell, taste. The only date legally required is on infant formula. Eggs last 3-5 weeks past their sell-by date.

Why It Works

Date label confusion is responsible for an estimated 20% of household food waste. Understanding that "best by" means quality, not safety, saves money and reduces waste. Trust your senses over printed dates for most products.

Tips

• "Use by" is the closest to a safety date but is still conservative
• Yogurt, hard cheese, and condiments last weeks to months past their printed date
• Canned goods are safe for years past the date if the can is not dented, rusted, or swollen
• The FoodKeeper app (USDA) provides science-based storage times for hundreds of foods