Here is what sell-by dates on your groceries really mean and why most of them are nothing to do with safety, there is just one of the dates which you need to be very careful with.
No-one means to throw away food, but we’ve all realised too late that something has gone out of date. This is no doubt part of the reason British households throw away £470 worth of food each year, although actually it’s claimed that of the 7.3million tonnes that’s binned, 4.4million is avoidable.
Part of the problem is the confusing way food is labelled. We have use by dates and best before dates, and then there’s even sell by and display until stickers.
The most important date is the use by date because it is the one that is set in stone. You should make sure you don’t eat products if the use by date has passed. You tend to see these dates on things which go off quickly, such as, fish and meat.
Even if the food smells and looks okay, it’s best to be on the safe side and throw it. Things with use by dates usually need eating within three days of opening too.
The only way round the date is by freezing the item, which will extend it, but be sure you stick to the instructions on the packet when it comes to thawing out.
Best before dates are the tricky ones, because most people don’t fully understand what they mean. Unlike the use by, these dates are a guide to food quality not safety.
That means you can eat the food after the date printed, but it might not be as tasty.
One item to be careful with, however, is eggs. They have a shelf life of 28 days, which means their best before date is always 28 days after they were laid. It’s best not to go over this date, as they can contain salmonella which can make you ill.
Display until and sell by dates aren’t as important as most people think. They are actually dates put on shelves by stores to help workers with their jobs and don’t make any difference to shoppers.
One of the best ways to help cut down on your food waste is to utilise your freezer. You can put pretty much anything in there and it extends the life of the product. It is also fine to freeze right up until the use by date, so there’s no need to throw things out when you haven’t used them.
