How long can you eat last? Expert weighs in

Nervous about a bag of lettuce or block Cheese In your refrigerator? Maybe look at the expiration date first. Whether you’re preparing dinner and wondering about the freshness of an ingredient or clearing out your refrigerator before a trip, those printed dates seem like the obvious answer. But how reliable are they?

accident CNET Survey It found that American adults waste $1,500 a year on groceries they think are bad. Expiration dates often create unnecessary stress and confusion, leading to perfectly good food being overlooked. These dates are intentionally conservative, meaning your food doesn’t automatically spoil once that date passes.

Although you shouldn’t take excessive risks, most of us throw away a lot more food than necessary. This waste contributes to food scarcity and increases everyone’s costs.

If you want to prevent food waste—and keep more dollars in your pockets—you’ll want to better understand what those food expiration dates mean.

“I saw statistics says Christopher Greco, CEO of a storea software platform for independent grocers I spoke with about food expiration. In fact, Americans produce 325 pounds of food waste Per person, per year. A large portion of food waste can be blamed on throwing away food that may still be safe for consumption, but has past its printed expiration date.

Who decides food expiration dates?

“Expiration dates are a matter of quality and safety,” Greco says. On the one hand, producers and manufacturers want you to experience their products in the best possible condition for flavor and texture. On the other hand, they want to mitigate the risk of any potential illnesses caused by food.

Read more: How to store and preserve fresh herbs

Some products, such as Dairy Products, have a relatively short shelf life, and expiration dates that are quickly approaching when you bring them home from the store. Others, such as canned and preserved products, can remain on store shelves or in a pantry or refrigerator for some time, perhaps even years.

There are many differences regarding the expiration of food

There are a lot of disparities in terms of quality and safety regarding expiration dates, especially for shelf-stable products.

Greco walks us through different scenarios considering a standard household product with a near expiration date, and milk, where storage and transportation variables can affect its condition, even after the expiration date is printed on the package. “You could have a different profile if that milk was dropped off at the grocery store by the distributor, and it sat in the back undrained for 20 or 30 minutes before it was put away,” he says. “If you buy this milk in South Florida, where it’s 100 degrees, and drive 30 minutes home, it will have an impact on the quality as well.”

Best by, use by, sell by and freeze dried dates

Expiration dates can also be printed in different abundances, which creates different considerations and may speak more to quality issues rather than safety. According to USDA Food Safety and Inspection ServiceThese are the meanings behind the different signs:

• A “Best used by/before” The date indicates when a product will have its best flavor or quality. It has no purchase or safety history.
• A “sold” The date tells the store how long to display the product for sale to manage inventory. It is not safety history.
• A “use” The date is the last recommended date to use the product during peak quality. It has no safety history (except when used on infant formula).
• A “Freeze” The date indicates when the product should be frozen to maintain peak quality. It has no purchase or safety history.

These statements can be helpful guidance to the consumer, but it is important to note that, beyond the status of infant formula, no expiration law is required. As stated above, none of these indicate a safety issue where consumption is concerned. They may even confuse some consumers into believing that their food has been wasted, even when it actually has not. ca Recently enacted law This will take effect in July 2026, banning “sale by” and “best before” labeling to limit confusion and reduce food waste.

In short, you should rely on your senses, including common sense, to determine if a food is safe for consumption.

Use common sense and check your food items

“I think a lot of consumers have a hard and fast rule when it comes to expiration dates, thinking that if it’s now the 28th or the 29th, and something expires on the 27th, then they should throw it away,” Greco says, but that’s not always, or even usually the case. “You should at least smell it, and maybe taste it, and it might still be good.”

On the other hand, it is usually important that you enter anyway, because even before the expiration date has passed, you may have a suspicion that something has changed. Given the variety of transportation and storage scenarios, the expiration date can become meaningless and, as mentioned above, does not reflect any federal regulation.

Some items are clearly spoiled when they show signs of mold or decay, or when they smell off. (Even if it shows mold, it probably is you You don’t need to throw your cheese away.) Elements that have a natural Portfolio Quality cheeses, such as cheese, pickled products or those with a high vinegar content, or other preserved products such as jam, will likely become unpalatable to you or bland in flavor before they become unsafe.

Proper handling and storage can make a difference

How you store your food can affect how quickly it goes bad, and proper handling may make your grocery items last beyond the listed expiration date.

The USDA notes: “The quality of perishable products may deteriorate past the date; however, these products should be safe if handled properly. Consumers should evaluate the quality of a product before consuming it to determine if the product shows signs of spoilage.” You can handle foods properly by putting them away as soon as you get home, and knowing where to put them away The coldest areas of the refrigeratorkeeping different types of foods separate, using appropriate storage containers, and not overcompensating them.

Read more: Chicken labels are confusing. This is what they do (and don’t mean)

Personal shopping helps with expiration dates and food waste

Greco notes that our shopping habits also play a role in eliminating pristine foods. “Part of what also contributes to food waste is lack of frequency of shopping in the store,” he says. While purchasing in bulk It can help save money on certain products, and trying to plan the menu or stock up for weeks or months at a time, rather than just a few days, tends to have a lot of food on hand that can be difficult to use up before it actually starts going into circulation, regardless of the expiration date.

If you still feel compelled to toss items out of an abundance of caution based on the expiration date, visiting your local grocery more often can help you keep groceries in your fridge and money in your account.

Choose composting over expired foods

If you know you are dealing with Food is expired – Moldy, stale, stained or dull – you can always use it Comister countertops To keep organic waste from discharging. But before you nail them, mobilize some skills to help distinguish when food is expiring and not expiring, so you don’t neglect eating good food entirely.

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