Reading food date labels

Treat most dates as quality guides, but obey expiration dates and safe storage times for food you have opened or cooked.

Detailed image of a drink can lid showing printed expiration date. — Photo: Towfiqu barbhuiya / Pexels

Area: KitchenFrom age 14Time to learn: 20 minutes

You will be able to tell which food dates are about quality and which ones matter for safety.

SafetyNever use infant formula after its 'use by' (US) or 'expiration' (Canada) date. Follow storage times strictly if anyone in the home is pregnant, older, very young or has a weakened immune system. If you prepare food for others, a food handler course covers this in more depth.

Why it matters

In the US, federal law requires a date only on infant formula, though some states have their own rules, for example for eggs. Other dates are set by the maker to show best quality. In Canada, 'best before' is about quality, while an 'expiration date' must be followed. Mixing these up leads people to throw out good food and to keep risky food past its safe storage time.

USDA estimates that 30% of the US food supply is lost or wasted at the retail and consumer levels (an estimate based on 2010 data). USDA names confusion over the meaning of date labels as one cause.

Source: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Food Product Dating (updated April 2025), 2025.Measured

How to do it

Read the words next to the date, not just the date.
'Best before' (Canada) and 'Best if used by' (US) are about quality. Unopened food that has been stored properly is usually still safe after this date, though it may be less fresh or nutritious. Perishable foods should still be eaten soon.
'Sell by' (US) tells the store how long to display the product. It is not a safety date.
'Use by' (US) is the last date for peak quality, except on infant formula, where federal rules require it. Do not buy or use formula after its use-by date.
'Expiration date' (Canada) appears on infant formula, meal replacements, nutritional supplements and formulated liquid diets. Throw these away after the date.
On Canadian labels, the year comes first if it is shown, then a two-letter month, then the day. '26 OC 30' means October 30, 2026.
Best before dates apply only to unopened packages. Once opened, follow the 'use within' advice on the label or a storage chart. US and Canadian charts differ slightly; the shorter time is the safer choice. Raw ground meat: 1 to 2 days. Raw chicken or turkey: 1 to 2 days (US) or 2 to 3 days (Canada). Raw steaks, chops and roasts: 3 to 5 days (US) or 2 to 4 days (Canada). Leftovers: 3 to 4 days (US) or 2 to 3 days (Health Canada).
Keep your fridge at 40°F (4°C) or colder. Food kept too warm can become unsafe before any date.
Do not rely on smell or looks to judge safety. Germs that cause illness usually do not change how food looks, smells or tastes. If food smells or looks spoiled, throw it out, but food that seems fine can still be unsafe. If in doubt, throw it out.
Throw away cans that are swollen, leaking, rusted or badly dented, whatever the date.

Common mistakes

Throwing out unopened 'best before' food the day after the date.
Trusting the printed date on a package that has been open for a week.
Using the sniff test to decide whether meat is safe.
Using infant formula past its use-by or expiration date.

You can do this when …you can pick five items from your fridge and cupboard and say, for each, whether its date is about quality or safety and how long it keeps once opened.