Introduction
When you’re grocery shopping, you’ll often see two familiar phrases on packaging: Best Before and Use By. They aren’t interchangeable, and knowing the difference can help you choose foods wisely and avoid waste. This guide explains what each label means, how to read it in everyday situations, and practical steps you can take to stay safe and keep food quality high.
What the labels mean
Use By and safety
A Use By date is about safety. It’s the date until which the manufacturer guarantees the product is safe to eat. After the Use By date, perishable items—such as certain dairy products, meats, fish, and prepared foods—should not be consumed. If there’s any doubt about safety, it’s best to discard the item.
Best Before and quality
A Best Before date signals quality, not safety. It indicates when the product is likely to be at its best flavor, texture, or aroma. Food can still be perfectly edible after the Best Before date, but its quality may gradually decline, especially for items like cereals, snacks, and canned goods. Storage conditions after purchase can influence how noticeable that decline is.
How to interpret in practice
Unopened vs opened
Unopened items often retain safety and quality longer than opened ones. For example, dairy, meat, or prepared foods kept under proper refrigeration will differ in how quickly they lose quality or safety after the date, compared with those that have already been opened. Always check the storage instructions on the package.
Perishable vs non-perishable
Perishable items (those that spoil quickly) tend to have a Use By date. Non-perishable items (like dry pasta, rice, canned goods) usually carry Best Before dates, and can remain usable for some time after that date if stored correctly and inspected for signs of spoilage.
Signs to watch for
Besides the date, look for changes in smell, texture, color, or the presence of mold. If anything seems off, it’s a good idea to discard the item rather than risk illness. Packaging damage, bulging cans, or leaks are also red flags.
Practical guidance on what to do with the dates
What to do with Use By foods
- Do not consume foods after the Use By date, especially if they are high-risk or perishable.
- If you’re unsure about the safety of a product, err on the side of caution and discard it.
- If you’ve already opened a perishable product, follow any storage guidelines (for example, refrigerate after opening) and use the product within the recommended window.
What to do with Best Before foods
- If the item is past the Best Before date but shows no signs of spoilage and has been stored correctly, it may still be safe to eat, though the taste or texture could be affected.
- Use common sense and your senses: if it smells off, tastes strange, or has developed mold, discard it.
- For items with long shelf lives (like canned goods or dry staples), the Best Before date is a guide to quality, not a sudden cutoff for safety.
Special cases worth knowing
- Frozen foods: Freezing can preserve safety for longer than the date suggests, but quality may still decline over time. If a frozen item looks or smells odd after thawing, discard it.
- Packaged foods with many preservatives or sealed environments: They may remain safe beyond the Best Before date, but always check for spoilage indicators.
- Baby foods and ready meals: Often treated as higher risk, so use By dates deserve particular attention and adherence.
Storage tips to extend shelf life
- Keep foods at the recommended temperature and store unopened items in keeping with label directions.
- Once opened, follow the specified storage guidance, and use the product within the suggested timeframe.
- Store similar items together, rotate stock so older items are used first, and keep storage areas clean and dry.
- Avoid exposing perishable items to heat or sunlight, which can accelerate spoilage.
Common questions in brief
- Is it safe to eat something after its Best Before date? It can be, if there are no signs of spoilage and it has been stored properly, but the quality may be reduced.
- Do all foods have both labels? Not always. Some items only carry Best Before, some only Use By, and others may use different labeling conventions depending on the country.
- Can I rely on cooking to make a past-date product safe? In general, cooking may kill some microbes, but it does not eliminate all safety risks or toxins that can accumulate in spoiled foods.
Conclusion
Best Before and Use By dates serve different purposes: one guides quality, the other safety. By understanding the distinction and using your senses, you can make smarter choices, reduce waste, and keep meals enjoyable and safe. When in doubt, trust your judgment and the simple rule to discard if anything looks, smells, or tastes off. Your safety comes first, and careful handling helps ensure your food stays both tasty and safe to eat.