Understanding Food Labels: How long can you eat after using by date?

October 14, 2025 •

5 min read

According to the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS), Americans may prematurely discard up to 40% of the food supply, largely due to confusion over date labels. Learning to decipher these labels is critical for reducing waste, saving money, and knowing precisely how long can you eat after using by date without risking your health.

Quick Summary

Food date labels signal either safety or quality, a distinction vital for healthy eating and reducing waste. Interpreting these labels, recognizing spoilage signs, and understanding safe storage practices are key to consuming food safely and avoiding foodborne illness.

Key Points

Use By is for Safety: Never consume food past its 'Use By' date, as it may contain harmful bacteria even if it appears and smells fine.
Best By is for Quality: Foods past their 'Best By' date are often safe to eat but may have diminished flavor or texture. Trust your senses to check for spoilage.
Storage Matters: Proper storage, including maintaining correct refrigeration and freezing temperatures, is critical to prolonging food's shelf life.
Look for Spoilage Signs: For 'Best By' foods, discard any items with off smells, visual mold, or abnormal textures, regardless of the date.
Reduce Food Waste: Understanding date labels helps you make smarter decisions, utilize the freezer effectively, and follow the First-In, First-Out (FIFO) method to minimize waste.
Understand Risks: Eating spoiled food can lead to serious foodborne illnesses; it is not always possible to kill pathogens by cooking.

Deciphering the Jargon: Use By vs. Best By

One of the most significant causes of consumer food waste and potential health risks is the misunderstanding of food date labeling. While the term 'expiration date' is widely used, most products are labeled with either 'Use By' or 'Best By'. It is crucial to understand the difference, as one pertains to safety and the other to quality.

Use By: The Safety Warning

A 'Use By' date is a safety indicator and should be taken seriously. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) and other health authorities advise that you should never eat, cook, or freeze food after its 'Use By' date. This date is typically found on highly perishable products that spoil quickly and could harbor dangerous bacteria, even if they look and smell fine. Examples include fresh meats, fish, and pre-packaged salads.

Best By: The Quality Guideline

The 'Best By' or 'Best Before' date is a quality recommendation, not a safety marker. This date indicates when the product is expected to be at its peak flavor and texture. After this date, the food may lose some of its quality, but it is often safe to eat as long as it has been stored correctly and shows no signs of spoilage. Common items with a 'Best By' date include frozen foods, canned goods, and dried pantry staples. For these items, your senses—sight and smell—are your best guide.

Sell By: The Retailer's Guide

A 'Sell By' date is solely for the retailer's inventory management and has no bearing on food safety for the consumer. You can often find a product for sale several days before this date, and it can be consumed safely for some time after you purchase it. For example, milk is often good for several days past its 'Sell By' date if stored properly.

Beyond the Date: Factors Influencing Food Shelf Life

While the date label is an important starting point, the actual longevity of food is influenced by several other factors. Recognizing these can help you make more informed decisions.

Storage Temperature: Keeping perishable foods at the correct temperature is paramount. Refrigerators should be at or below 40°F (4°C), and freezers at 0°F (-18°C). Leaving food out in the 'temperature danger zone' between 40°F and 140°F can cause rapid bacterial growth, spoiling food long before its date.
Packaging Integrity: The packaging plays a critical role in preserving food. Never consume food from a can that is dented, leaking, or bulging, as this can indicate dangerous bacterial contamination. Similarly, torn or leaky packaging on refrigerated or frozen items can lead to premature spoilage.
Handling and Cross-Contamination: How you handle food, both before and after opening, matters significantly. Storing raw meat separately from ready-to-eat foods prevents cross-contamination, a major cause of foodborne illness. Always wash hands and surfaces thoroughly when preparing different types of food.

Sensory Clues to Detect Spoilage

For 'Best By' items, your senses are the most reliable indicator of freshness. Always perform a sensory check before consumption:

Visual Cues: Look for visible mold growth, discoloration, or a slimy texture on the food. These are clear signs of spoilage and mean the food should be discarded.
Smell: A foul or off-odor is a strong signal that food is no longer safe to eat. A sour smell in milk or a rancid smell in oils or fats indicates they have gone bad.
Texture: Changes in texture, such as a soft fruit or vegetable becoming mushy or a hard cheese feeling slimy, are indications of deterioration.

The Dangers of Eating Spoiled Food

Consuming spoiled food, especially past a 'Use By' date, can lead to serious foodborne illnesses caused by harmful bacteria, viruses, or parasites. Symptoms can range from mild discomfort to severe, life-threatening conditions. Common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and fever. In vulnerable populations, such as children, the elderly, and pregnant women, the risks are even higher. It is a myth that cooking will always make spoiled food safe; some toxins produced by bacteria are not destroyed by heat.

Minimizing Food Waste with Smarter Habits

By understanding date labels, you can make more sustainable choices and reduce the amount of good food you throw away.

Plan Your Meals: A little meal planning can prevent over-buying and help you use up ingredients before they approach their 'Use By' date.
Use the Freezer: Freezing acts like a pause button for food. If you see a perishable item nearing its 'Use By' date, freeze it immediately to preserve it for later use. Label and date all frozen items.
First-In, First-Out (FIFO): When storing groceries, move older items to the front and newer ones to the back. This ensures you use products before they go bad.
Donate Safe Food: Many organizations accept food donations, particularly shelf-stable items past their 'Best By' date. Check with local food banks to see what they accept.

Food Date Comparison Table


Food Type	Label Type	Can You Eat After the Date?	How Long (approx.) after Best By	Signs of Spoilage
Fresh Meat/Fish	Use By	No. Follow strictly for safety.	Not applicable (discard)	Off color, slimy, foul odor
Fresh Eggs	Best By	Yes (with sensory check)	Up to 3-5 weeks past	Off smell (sulfur), watery yolk
Milk	Best By/Use By	Yes (with sensory check for Best By)	Up to 1 week past Best By	Sour smell, curdling, separation
Canned Goods	Best By	Yes	1-2 years past, if stored properly	Dented, bulging, or leaking can; foul odor
Hard Cheese	Best By	Yes (cut off mold)	1 month after opening	Green/blue mold (cut away), strong ammonia smell
Yogurt	Best By	Yes (with sensory check)	1-2 weeks past	Strong smell, separation, excess liquid
Frozen Foods	Best By	Yes	6-12 months past	Freezer burn, significant change in color or texture
Dried Pasta/Rice	Best By	Yes	1-2 years past	Pests, moisture, off smell

Conclusion

Understanding the distinction between 'Use By' and 'Best By' dates is an essential part of a healthy diet and sustainable living. While 'Use By' dates are a non-negotiable safety line for perishable items, 'Best By' dates are a quality guide where your senses and proper storage are the most reliable indicators. By correctly interpreting these labels and practicing safe food handling, you can significantly reduce food waste and protect your health, ensuring you know exactly how long can you eat after using by date.

Frequently Asked Questions

A 'use by' date is a strict safety guideline for highly perishable foods, indicating they should not be consumed after that date. A 'best by' date is a quality indicator, suggesting when a food will be at its peak flavor, but it can often be eaten safely after this date.

Yes, for many non-perishable or stable foods, it is often safe to eat them a few days or even longer after the 'best by' date has passed, as long as they show no signs of spoilage, such as mold or a foul smell.

If a product has passed its 'use by' date, you should discard it immediately. This date is set for food safety, and eating the item poses a significant risk of foodborne illness, even if it looks and smells fine.

Yes, for many foods, freezing is a great way to extend their life. If a product is nearing its 'use by' date, you can freeze it to stop spoilage. Just be sure to freeze it before the date passes and cook it properly after defrosting.

Common signs of spoilage include visible mold, a change in color or texture, and a foul or off-odor. For canned goods, bulging or leaking cans are clear indicators of spoilage.

No, freezing does not kill all bacteria. It merely pauses their growth. Once the food is thawed, bacteria can become active again. This is why it's important to freeze food before it spoils and cook it thoroughly after defrosting.

Much food waste is caused by consumers incorrectly assuming that 'best by' or 'sell by' dates are hard expiration dates. This confusion leads to tossing perfectly edible food, contributing to the staggering amount of food discarded annually.