Have you ever taken a can of vegetables out of your pantry and seen that the date on the label has passed? You might have stopped to wonder if the product is still safe to consume or if it should be thrown out. This is something that most of us have probably experienced at some point in our lives.
Manufacturers provide dates on packages to help consumers decide when food is of best quality. Many factors are considered when determining the date listed on the packaging like the characteristics of the food and the type of packaging.
There are many different phrases that you might see listed on labels to describe quality dates. The Food Safety and Inspection Service created this list of commonly used phrases.
- A "Best if Used By/Before" date indicates when a product will be of best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.
- A "Sell-By" date tells the store how long to display the product for sale for inventory management. It is not a safety date.
- A "Use-By" date is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. It is not a safety date except when used on infant formula as described below.
- A "Freeze-By" date indicates when a product should be frozen to maintain peak quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.
The USDA estimates that roughly 30 percent of our food supply is wasted at the retail and consumer levels. One of the main sources of food waste comes from consumers and retailers throwing away food that might be safe for consumption but are confused about the meaning of the dates displayed on the label.
Are foods safe to eat after the date passes?
If the date listed on the label passes during home storage, a product should still be safe if handled properly until the time spoilage is visible. Spoiled foods might have an off odor, flavor, or texture. If food appears to be spoiled it should not be eaten.
For more information on food safety and recalls visit fsis.usda.gov
If you have unopened pantry items that you don’t plan on using and are outdated these items can still be donated. Consider donating items that you might not use to your local food pantry.
If you are interested in donating items to local food pantries or in need of food, you can find a list of food pantries located in Wayne County on awcinc.org/community-food-project/
Try this low-cost recipe from celebrateyourplate.org.
4-Ingredient Vegetable Beef Soup:
Ingredients:
- 1/2 pound protein: 85% lean ground (beef or turkey) meat OR 1 15 ounce can no salt added kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 64 ounce bottle low-sodium vegetable juice
- 1 32 ounce package frozen vegetable mix
- 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning OR Celebrate Your Plate Italian Seasoning
Instructions:
- Before you begin, wash your hands, surfaces, and utensils.
2. If using ground beef or turkey, cook in a medium frying pan until no pink remains, about 6 minutes. Drain fat into a paper-towel lined bowl and throw away.
3. Combine your protein of choice (either cooked ground beef, turkey, or beans), vegetable juice, frozen vegetables, and Italian seasoning in a slow cooker and cook on low for 4 hours. If using a stovetop, combine ingredients in a large pot and simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.
Kaitlynn Tonn is an OSU Extension Family & Consumer Sciences Educator and may be reached at 330-264-8722 or tonn.13@osu.edu
CFAES provides research and related educational programs to clientele on a nondiscriminatory basis. For more information, visit cfaesdiversity.osu.edu
This article was previously published in The Daily Record.