Last updated November 2024
The milk in your fridge still smells fine, but it’s a few days past the “best by” date stamped on the carton. Should you throw it out? About 59 percent of Americans would, according to one survey. But, odds are, your milk is perfectly safe and still tastes good. So, what do the various dates stamped on food containers mean? And how can you use this info to avoid wasting food without eating spoiled stuff?
Unfortunately, the various dates and terms stamped on food aren’t regulated—or even required by law. Tags such as “expires on,” “best before,” or “use by” are voluntary, with no standard terminology. (The one exception: Federal regulations require infant formula manufacturers to include a “use-by” date.)
Here’s how to read and use date labels.
What Those Dates Actually Mean
Except for the infant formula label, all other date labels refer to food quality.
“From a manufacturer’s perspective, quality means a product is at its peak flavor, texture, and/or color,” explained Brian Ronholm, director of food policy for Consumer Reports.
Take bagged leafy greens. “If they’re past the ‘use by’ or ‘best if used by’ date, there is a greater risk that the quality (and safety) of the greens will be compromised in some way. Same with bread; beyond these dates, there is a greater risk it will become stale or moldy,” said Ronholm. “However, it’s also quite possible that a product can be a few days past these dates and still appear and taste perfectly fine, which can be vexing for consumers.”
Manufacturers juggle many variables to create peak quality dates. There’s the time the product sits in a warehouse, on a truck, and lingers on the store shelf—and the temperature throughout its journey. Other factors include the type of packaging and whether the food contains preservatives.
But Is It Safe?
If date labels only clue you in to peak quality, how do you know when a food or beverage is still safe to consume? Unfortunately, you’re on your own.
“A food or beverage becomes unsafe when it’s exposed to a contaminant and could pose an immediate or long-term risk to consumers,” said Ronholm, who was previously Deputy Undersecretary of Food Safety at the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
“Pathogens such as Salmonella, Listeria, and E. Coli can cause illness and even death in the immediate term or after a few days. Whereas heavy metals, like mercury and lead, and certain types of chemicals, increase the risk of harm from chronic exposure in the long-term,” Ronholm warned.
Foods don’t automatically become unsafe on the date stamped on the label. “Handled properly, foods and beverages can be good in terms of both quality and safety a little past that date,” Ronholm said. “While quality might be obvious—it doesn’t taste or smell right—it can be very difficult to figure out whether it’s safe.” Also, temperature, preservatives, and packaging variables that go into a manufacturers’ calculus when setting the date label for quality also apply to safety.
There’s also the nature of the food—it’s harder for bacteria to grow on low-moisture items such as breakfast cereal, chocolate, and nuts than on milk, fresh fruit, and meat. Many variables come into play, and they can change from product to product. “This is why this issue can be a struggle for industry and a source of frustration for consumers,” said Ronholm.
He recommends using common sense. “If perishable, fresh items like fruit, vegetables, meats, and dairy are well past the date, and their appearance is bad—perhaps moldy, slimy, or smelly—that’s easy: throw it out or compost it.”
Increase your grocery haul’s longevity by keeping cold foods cold, hot foods hot, and following other basic food safety practices recommended by the USDA.
Keep in mind that between 40° and 140°F, bacteria levels can double in just 20 minutes.
A note on mold: While you can’t see heavy metals or bacteria, mold is usually obvious. For a small moldy spot on otherwise firm (but not soft) cheese, fruit or vegetable, simply cut it out and it’s safe to eat the rest. But if there’s mold on anything else—say, yogurt, bread, or luncheon meats—bye-bye.
What a Waste!
A staggering 30 to 40 percent of the U.S. food supply gets thrown away; half of that is trashed by consumers.
“When we waste food, we squander all the resources—water, labor, fertilizer, fuel, and more—that go into producing and transporting it to our tables,” said Nina Sevilla, program advocate, Food Waste & Food Systems, for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).
That’s lousy for both your shopping budget and the planet. “Greenhouse gas emissions are produced at every stage, including the final one—when food winds up in incinerators or landfills,” said Sevilla. This results in a loss of many natural resources, too.
Meanwhile, one in eight Americans are food insecure, without reliable access to fruit, vegetables, proteins, and other nourishment. That strengthens the argument that we should keep food waste out of landfills and put it on people’s plates.
A Government Push to Lower Food Waste
Cutting back on food waste is one motivation behind a bipartisan bill introduced in Congress, the Food Date Labeling Act of 2023.
“It would standardize date labels, build consumer awareness around them, and make donating safe food easier,” said Sevilla, whose organization supports the bill. “Consumers will have a better sense of when food is still good to eat and will be less likely to throw out good food.”
Adding to the confusion, some states do mandate date labeling, with a patchwork of terminology and rules. In 2024, California passed a law requiring manufacturers to use uniform language on date labels, but it won’t go into effect until July 1, 2026. In Illinois, egg cartons must carry an “expiration” or “sell-by” date that’s up to 30 days after the packing date for grade AA eggs—but 45 days for grade A. And while New York State has no date labeling rules, some of its municipalities do. For example, Westchester County requires an expiration date on “all perishable products except produce.”
If the Food Date Labeling Act is enacted, date labeling would still be voluntary and other date stamps would be at the manufacturer’s discretion. States could still set their own rules around whether or not certain products require labels. But date label language would be regulated. Only the following three phrases would be allowed:
- “Best if used by”: Indicates the point at peak quality (not safety).
- “Use by”: Indicates when a food or beverage should be thrown away because it may no longer be safe.
- “Freeze by”: Indicates the date at which food should be frozen to extend its shelf life.
Eat It, Don’t Toss it!
Try these strategies to put food on your plate instead of in the trash:
- Before your shopping trip, inventory what’s already in your kitchen so you don’t buy what you don’t need.
- Purchase only food you’re realistically likely to consume. Take into account days you won’t be eating at home.
- Consider the “Use by” and other date labels as suggestions. Most foods are still good a little past the date.
- Know how long a food will last in your fridge or kitchen—this U.S. Department of Agriculture website offers specifics.
- Freeze what you can’t use right away.
- Store foods for maximum freshness; fruits and vegetables last longer in the fridge, and grains and nuts do best in air-tight containers.
- Veggies look a little limp? Simmer them in a soup or spaghetti sauce or toss them into a stir-fry. Slightly past-its-prime fruit might taste great in a smoothie.