How to Decipher Use-By, Best If Used By and Sell- By Dates
In almost every pantry or refrigerator in America, there are foods with best-by dates that have come and gone. In many homes, these foods will be tossed in the trash without a second thought. But do we really need to be throwing these “expired” foods away? I know I have been confused by Use-By, Best If Used By and Sell- By dates before. But most of the time, I just look to make sure I’m not growing a science experiment and that it smells normal. But should I really be doing this or should I follow the dates?
Use- By and Best-By Dates
The good thing for our bank accounts is that the terms “Use-By” and “Best-By” just signify when the product is at its best quality. These terms do not signify food safety. The only exception to this is with infant formula, which requires a “Use-By” date. You should not use infant formula past the “Use-By” date. Expired formulas may no longer be the correct consistency or contain the correct levels of nutrients.
Sell- By Dates
What about the “Sell-By” date? This date is the last day that the store should have it on their shelves. It really does not mean anything to us as consumers. Sure, I look for the furthest out sell-by date, but I’m also not against saving money and buying the “manager’s special.”
Freeze- By Dates
Another term you may see is “freeze-by.” Once again, for best product quality, you should use the product or freeze the product by that date. It does not signify that the food is unsafe after that date.
“So I can eat food past the date it is marked?”
Yes! As long as you have properly handled the food, it should be safe to eat. Before consuming, check for mold, an odd smell, or a change in texture. If a food shows any of these signs, it should be thrown away. When I am at the store, I do try to buy products with later dates, but when I am home I rely on how the product smells, looks, and its texture to determine if it is still good.
The USDA does have some best practice guidelines on how long we should keep food in the refrigerator. Below is a brief list of common household foods and how long we should keep them on hand, as recommended by the USDA.
USDA Shelf Life Recommendations
| Canned Foods | Shelf Life |
| Canned Tomatoes and Fruits (acidic foods) | 12-18 months |
| Canned Meats and Vegetables | 3-5 years |
| Refrigerated Foods | Shelf Life |
| Ground Meat (Chicken, Turkey, Beef) | 1-2 days |
| Steak, Pork Chops & Roasts | 3-5 days |
| Stuffed Meats | 1 day |
| Poultry | 1-2 days |
| Opened Lunch Meat/ Unopened Lunch Meat | 3-5 days / 2 weeks |
| Egg, Chicken, Potato, Macaroni Salad | 3-5 days |
| Fresh Eggs | 3-5 weeks |
| Hardboiled Eggs | 1 week |
| Leftovers | 4 days -1 week |
Now with all of this information laid out, I am hoping that you will think twice before throwing away your “expired” food. Make sure you always evaluate the safety and quality of your food before enjoying! If you rather stick to the printed dates, consider donating to your local food bank. They typically will take products with past dates and evaluate them for quality.
If you would like to learn more about food safety topics, stay tuned! I will be posting about proper internal cooking temperatures and how to properly defrost food.
