Even if one or more of those dates has passed, examine and smell an item to see if it is still safe to use. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines these labels as:
Best if Used By/Before = The date when a product will have the best flavor or quality. This is not a purchase or safety date.
Sell By = This date indicates how long a store should display the product for sale
Freeze By = This is the date by which a product should be frozen to maintain the best quality
Carefully check your refrigerator, shelves, and pantry to determine what you already have before shopping.
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Plan meals and buy only what you need to make them.
Here’s a video guide to the meal planning process.
Review how often you use certain ingredients to see if it makes sense to buy a larger or smaller amount at a time. Use The Guestimator to plan your next dinner party or social gathering.
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Learn new tips and tricks to safely store your foods longer.
Read how to safely store items in your refrigerator and how long items should last opened or unopened in this handy Shelf Life Guide.
