Keep It or Toss It? Food Labels Decoded. (2024)

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By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Updated September 24, 2019

Keep It or Toss It? Food Labels Decoded. (5)

We’re deciphering what all the labels mean so you know how long your food will stay good—without having to give it the sniff test.

Betty Crocker and its parent company General Mills know that food waste is a major social, environmental, and economic challenge and we’re invested in change. We work to eliminate food production waste and partner with Feeding America to ensure surplus food gets from grocery stores and restaurants to people facing hunger—not garbage cans. In 2018 we started the Taste Not Waste project to tackle the 40% of food waste that happens at home. This year we’re introducing the #pantryraid challenge to waste less and save more. When we all do our part, we can make a difference in the amount of food that gets thrown out. Join us!

Nearly 90% of us throw food out before it is actually bad and that can be for a misunderstanding of food labels. The most common designations on packaging are sell-by, best-by, and use-by, but what do these all mean? And which one should you follow when it comes to getting rid of uneaten food?

Sell-By Date

First, the sell-by date is not meant for consumer use. This date is aimed at retailers to tell them when the product should be sold or removed from the shelf. It is not a safety indicator for consumers. About a third of a product’s shelf life remains after the sell-by date.

Best-By Date

The second label is the best-by date. This is used as a quality indicator for us, the consumers. The product is still safe to eat after the date, but the taste or texture might have diminished or the product might not have the full vitamin content indicated on the package.

Use-By Date

The most important date to consider before throwing an item out is the use-by date. This label is a safety indicator. For perishable products, this label indicates when there might be spoilage or bacterial growth. This date assumes proper storage was used and only applies to unopened products. A quick look through our guide to food storagewill help to answer questions about what to store where, and for how long.

Important Note

Once a container has been opened none of the dates really mean anything. Instead use the rule of 4’s when storing open containers and leftovers. You can store an open item for four days at 4 degrees C or 40 F. Items older than four days or not properly stored should be discarded.

Understanding food date labels is just one of many small ways that you can make a big difference when it comes to food waste at home. What other tips and tricks do you use to taste not waste your food? Tell us in the comments below or join the #pantryraid challenge on Instagram.

FAQs

Keep It or Toss It? Food Labels Decoded.? ›

The most important date to consider before throwing an item out is the use-by date. This label is a safety indicator. For perishable products, this label indicates when there might be spoilage or bacterial growth. This date assumes proper storage was used and only applies to unopened products.

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How do you decode expiration date? ›

The standard format is MMDDYY, where “MM” refers to the month, “DD” refers to the date, and “YY” refers to the year. So if a product says 101525, it means that the product expires on October 15, 2025. Is it safe to buy food on its expiration date? Generally speaking, yes, it is safe to buy food on its expiration date.

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How do I know the expiration date of a product? ›

Products will contain an unopened or shelf-life expiration date on the packaging. This date tells us when a product expires even if it remains unopened and unused. Manufacturers typically print the second expiration date on the product.

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How to check expiry date if not mentioned? ›

Look for a date accompanied with “use by,” “sell by,” or “best by.” ^X ^Trustworthy ^Source ^American ^Heart ^Association ^Leading ^nonprofit ^that ^funds ^medical ^research ^and ^public ^education ^Go ^to ^source Check the bottom of the product, the sides of the container, the lid, and the necks of bottles.

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How much food is wasted because it expires? ›

Yet U.S. retailers toss about 43 billion pounds of food, while consumers waste an additional 90 billion — in large part because of expiration dates, writes The Wall Street Journal. About 54% of people incorrectly believe eating food past its “sell by” is unsafe, and studies estimate 68% of what we throw away is edible.

How to read date code? ›

Reading Date Codes on Computer Chips

The first two digits represent the year that the chips were manufactured and the last two digits represent the week. For example, if the number was “1722” it would be the 22nd week in 2017 or the week of May 29th through June 4th.

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How to read batch code? ›

A typical batch number would be similar to AGT-M10000. The batch code consists of 6 digits and utilizes the Julian Date, the last digit of the year of manufacture, the production line, and the production shift. Example: 036521 036 = The thirty sixth day of the year, in this case February 5th.

How to read an expiration date code with letters and numbers? ›

This often appears as codes that consist of a series of letters and/or numbers applied by manufacturers to identify the date and time of production, appearing as MMDDYY. For example, "112922" would be read as November 29, 2022.

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How to check expiration date by barcode? ›

Look for Expiry Information

If the barcode has the expiry date in it, you'll see it once you scan it. But often, especially with the common 1D barcodes, you'll only see a product number. This means you'll need to look it up in a system or website to find out the expiry date.

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What is the 7 digit expiration date? ›

Packaged food items sometimes have “Julian Dates” stamped on them that represent the packing date. These dates are 3-7 digits long, and are calculated differently from JD used in astronomy. Common locations for these numbers include the sides of cartons or the bottom of cans.

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Is there an app that reads expiration dates? ›

Create a shopping list of the food you have finished using. Simply scan the barcode of your item and Fridgely will automatically figure out its name and estimate an expiration date.

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How long is food good after the expiration date? ›

But what do they mean? Sell-By Date: Refers to the last day a retailer can display a product for sale; typically a food is safe to eat for 10 days after the Sell-by Date if refrigerated properly. Use-By Date: Refers to the last day a product will maintain its optimum freshness, flavor, and texture.

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What if there is no expiration date on food? ›

Because federal law does not require dating, there may not even be a stamped date on the product. a can if it is bulging, leaking, or rusty, even if it has not expired. Nothing If there is no expiration date, use the can within one year from when you got it.

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What do supermarkets do with expired food? ›

Sadly, stores often throw them out. Many products with a bad “Best By” date are still good by consumer standards. Sometimes a store will allow donations, but usually only after individuals have filled out paperwork proving they're associated with a non-profit organization, shelter, volunteer co-op or something similar.

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Which country wastes the most food? ›

Food waste produced annually in selected countries worldwide 2020. China and India produce more household food waste than any other country worldwide at an estimated 92 million and 69 million metric tons every year, respectively.

What foods are most wasted? ›

A significant proportion of food waste is produced by the domestic household, which in 2007 created 6,700,000 tonnes of food waste. Potatoes, bread slices and apples are the most wasted foods by quantity, while salads are thrown away in the greatest proportion.

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How to read lot number expiration date? ›

The first number is the third digit of the year the product was made. The next two numbers represent the day of the month the product was made. The next number represents the last digit of the year the product was made. The next two digits represent the month the earliest expiring component expires.

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What is the format for card expiration date? ›

Credit cards usually expire anywhere from three to five years after being issued, depending on the card issuer. The expiration date will appear on your credit card in month/year format. For example, a credit card expiring in July 2025 would show “07/25.” The card remains active until the last day of the month listed.

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How to read an expiration date code on medication? ›

Expiration date format should be read as YYYY-MM-DD.

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What is the interpretation of expiry date? ›

After the expiration date, the food may not have the same nutrient content as declared on the label. Food should not be bought, sold or eaten if the expiration date has passed. It should be discarded.

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