Use by, best before

Does anyone ever stop to check whether your food says best before or use by when glancing at the date? I know I’ve overlooked it plenty of times, but understanding the difference between these two labels could actually save us money, reduce food waste and keep us from eating something we shouldn't.

According to research by Food Standards Australia New Zealand, a surprising number of people are confused about these dates—22 per cent of us get best before wrong, and 33 per cent don’t quite get use by either. So, let’s break it down in simple terms.

A use by date is serious business. It's non-negotiable. If our food has this label, it means we should eat it before or on that date. If we miss the deadline, don’t chance it—it’s not just a taste issue, it’s a health and safety risk. This applies to perishable items like meat and dairy. So, if that chicken in our fridge is past its use-by date, don’t cook it! We could freeze it before that date, but be careful how we defrost and prepare it. That’s not something we want to mess around with.

Now, best before is where things get a little easier and a bit more flexible. Foods with a best before label—like biscuits, chips, or pasta—are still perfectly fine to eat after the date, but they might not be at their best in terms of taste or texture. It’s not an exact science, so if our crisps are a month past their best-before date and they still taste good, go ahead and munch away. Just remember, the quality might not be top-notch, and we might lose a bit of nutritional value over time.

So, how long do best-before foods actually last? In general, best-before foods can last well beyond the date on the packaging. As a rough rule, they’re good for about six months past the best-before date, and sometimes even longer. I’ve definitely found some forgotten biscuits at the back of my cupboard that were months out of date, but they tasted just fine! Foodbank, an organisation that helps distribute food to those in need, gets plenty of products close to their best-before date and even asks suppliers how long those foods will still be safe to eat. So, if it looks fine and smells fine, it probably is.

However, the same can’t be said for anything past its use-by date—don’t take any chances there. Even if it looks and smells okay, just toss it away.

At the end of the day, being mindful of these dates can help us cut down on food waste and make sure we’re not eating anything that might make us ill. And if we ever find ourselves in doubt, remember the golden rule: trust our senses, but always respect the use by date.

Disclaimer: What I write here is based on information easily found on the Internet. My readers can choose to believe or dismiss my opinion. Also, this discussion is strictly about food and not medicine—that’s a whole different ball game!