Confused about what these ‘Use-by’, ‘Best-by’, and ‘Sell-by’ dates really mean…

[ARC]

Use-by, Best-by, and Sell-by Food Expiration Dates

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Diving for Pleasure and Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[stefen]

First, every food product has a shelf life, all dependent on packaging.

If its a canned item, 'Best By' means that the food has a certain shelf life to be 100% good. After that it starts to decline in appearance, taste, quality etc. A call to the manufacturer will clarfify. Each manufacturer has different standards depending on a product. Canned string beans may be different that canned peaches, and canned tuna different than spam.

Frozen and packaged products wrapped in plastic or celephane are usually marked 'Use By' and have an extremely short shelf life. For instance a frozen item can be thawed by its not recommended to be refrozen.

Dairy products are usually listed as 'Sell By' which means the shelf life may extend a day or so beyond the sell date. Again, a call to the manufacturer may get a good answer. Eggs on the otherhand are usually edible 30+ days beyond the sell date.

The term 'Fresh' in vegetables and fruit produce may be from a day to months. Apples are treated and may be over a year old when purchased. Other produce may have been picked prior to being ripe. If the produce is from Mexico, Central or South America, the term fresh is a joke. Bananas are shipped green and may never ripen. Avocados is a fruit that does not ripen on the tree, so once picked they will ripen in days. The buyer just needed to be well informed.

If you have any doubts, ask a Super Market manager or supervisor, the answers may vary.

The internet is also a good source of information.

Finally, when in doubt, if the food is past the posted date, simply don't eat it...common sense.

 

[Limitool]

It's simple.... There's only 3 things to be concerned about.

1. Does the item "look" ok.... if so proceed to #2.
2. Does the item "smell" ok... if so proceed to #3.
3. Does the item "taste" ok... if so enjoy your meal and hope for the best.

To put this too the test leave a gallon of milk in the frig for 1 week then open. At 2 weeks try again. And then again at 3 weeks. You'll catch on right buddy! You seem like a quick learner!!!!

 

[ARC]

Heh...
I tell you this...
If you are hungry enough you will eat just about anything.

I would crack it... cook it... and eat it...
If it was a matter of eating it or dying of starvation.

 

[worldtalker]

Heh...
I tell you this...
If you are hungry enough you will eat just about anything.

I would crack it... cook it... and eat it...
If it was a matter of eating it or dying of starvation.

I see this coming down the pike...sooner than people realize.

 

[Limitool]

Right on Chris..... As I and others have stated before... wait till the power goes off and stays off for just 1+ weeks in a large section of the U.S. Not 1 large metro area but just a 1/4 or more of the entire nation. Terrorist attack, solar flare or internal breakdown it doesn't matter after that. Many folks will be set back 300 years or more. No horses, no gardens and most folks with no survival skills at all. Everything we all do depends on ONE THING... electrical power. Take it away and our whole world as we know it collapses.

You won't be having to choice what you'd like for supper!

 

[DirtStalker]

It's simple.... There's only 3 things to be concerned about.

1. Does the item "look" ok.... if so proceed to #2.
2. Does the item "smell" ok... if so proceed to #3.
3. Does the item "taste" ok... if so enjoy your meal and hope for the best.

To put this too the test leave a gallon of milk in the frig for 1 week then open. At 2 weeks try again. And then again at 3 weeks. You'll catch on right buddy! You seem like a quick learner!!!!

Well Aarc once you get past the smell you got it Licked

 

[Rebel - KGC]

Well, MY "Motto" is... If it don't look bad, smell bad, EAT IT!