Nervous about that bag of lettuce or block of cheese in your fridge? You probably look at the expiration date first. Whether you're prepping dinner and questioning an ingredient's freshness or clearing out your refrigerator before a trip, those printed dates seem like the obvious answer. But how reliable are they?
A recent CNET survey found that US adults waste $1,500 yearly in groceries they think have gone bad. Expiration dates often create unnecessary stress and confusion, leading many to discard perfectly good food. These dates are intentionally conservative, meaning your food isn't automatically spoiled once that date passes.
While you shouldn't take excessive risks, most of us throw away far more food than necessary. This waste contributes to food scarcity and drives up costs for everyone.
If you want to prevent food waste -- and keep more dollars in your pockets -- you'll want to better understand what these food expiration dates actually mean.
"I've seen statistics showing that consumers throw away up to $1,300 per year," says Christopher Greco, CEO of Storewise, a software platform for independent grocers I spoke with about food expiration. In fact, Americans produce 325 pounds of food waste per person, per year. Much of that food waste can be blamed on tossing away food that may still be safe for consumption, but whose printed expiration date has passed.
Who decides food expiration dates?
Once the packaging seal is broken, best-by and expiration dates no longer apply. CNET
"Expiration dates are an issue of quality and safety," Greco says. On the one hand, producers and manufacturers want you to experience their products in the best possible condition for flavor and texture. On the other hand, they want to mitigate the risk of any possible food-borne illnesses.
Read more: How to Store and Preserve Fresh Herbs
Some products, like dairy products, have relatively short shelf lives, and expiration dates that are swiftly approaching when you bring them home from the store. Others, such as canned and preserved products, can stay on store shelves or in your pantry or fridge for quite some time, maybe even years.
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