Food Expiration Dates: Myths and Realities Uncovered

How much food in your fridge will you discard before it ever makes it to the table? Leftover hamburger buns from last summer's picnic? Milk that's past its sell-by date? Carrots that have lost their crunch? Countries worldwide waste massive amounts of food each year, and the United States is one of the worst offenders. Approximately 37% of U.S. food waste comes from households, with about 20% of that waste due to confusion over date labels. However, most of this food is still safe to eat. So what do these dates really tell us?

Before the 20th century, the journey from farm to table was much shorter, and people relied on sight, smell, and touch to determine food freshness. But with the rise of supermarkets and processed foods, judging a product's age became more challenging. In the U.S., grocers used packaging codes to track shelf life, and in the 1970s, consumers began demanding access to this information. This led to the adoption of "open dating," where manufacturers or retailers label products with dates indicating optimal freshness. These dates are not related to food safety and are often not scientifically determined, with few regulations governing their use. Consequently, many foods are safe to eat well beyond their labeled dates.

Shelf-stable items like old cookies and pasta may taste stale but are not health risks. Canned foods can remain safe for years if they show no signs of bulging or rusting. Properly stored frozen dinners can last indefinitely due to low freezer temperatures preventing bacterial growth. Refrigerated eggs can be good for up to five weeks, and spoilage can usually be detected by smell. Spoiled produce is identifiable by off odors, sliminess, or mold.

However, some items should be used with more caution. The USDA recommends consuming or freezing meat within days of purchase. Ready-to-eat salads, deli meats, and unpasteurized cheeses are more likely to harbor harmful bacteria after their printed dates and may not always show spoilage signs. Despite this, most date labels do not serve their intended purpose. In a 2019 survey of over 1,000 Americans, more than 70% used date labels to decide if food was still edible, and nearly 60% discarded food past these dates. Restaurants and grocers often do the same.

To reduce waste, many experts advocate for laws requiring standardized phrases on date labels, such as "Best if used by" for freshness and "Use by" for safety. This could potentially prevent around 398,000 tons of food waste annually. Some grocers have even removed date labels from produce to encourage consumers to rely on their own judgment. Policies that incentivize food donation by grocers and restaurants could also help. Currently, at least 20 U.S. states restrict donating food past its labeled date due to confusion, even though federal law protects such donations. Countries like France mandate that supermarkets donate unsold food.

Ultimately, the best way to prevent food waste is to eat what you buy. Remember, your senses are usually sufficient to determine if food is safe to consume or should be composted.