What does an expiration date on food actually mean?
I got these yogurts, with a “Jan 29 2025” expiration date, from a food drive I participated in on February 7th.
“Expired” Yogurt
They were left over at the end of the drive, and given their “Jan 29th Expiration Date,” I took a case of 18 home with me for fear that at some point, some misguided government rule or regulation would force these perfectly good yogurts to be thrown away. As I write this on February 21st, I’m still eating them. In fact, I had one not long ago for breakfast.
This was the second food drive I had been a part of in as many weeks, and at each one there was a full palate of yogurts being given away. Everything we give out at our markets is food that was recovered through partnerships with grocery stores, retail stores, restaurants, and bakeries. All of the food we recover and distribute would have otherwise been thrown away. For reasons like “past due.”
A palate of recovered yogurt being distributed at our market
The customers who attend our markets are a mix of locals and migrants, young and old, families and singles, who all share a common struggle: food insecurity.
Luckily for our community, and our planet, organizations now exist who intercept “food waste” and divert it from the landfill and into peoples homes. Over 50 million people in the U.S. experience food insecurity every day (many of them are children), and many millions more struggle with nutrition insecurity (not getting the nutrition they need). And decomposing food in landfills is one of the leading causes of climate change. It emits a gas called methane, which is arguably more deleterious to our environment than carbon dioxide.
Recovering food and distributing it for free at our markets kills two birds with one stone.
But so when we think about expired food, or food past its “Best Buy” date, what does that actually mean? Does it mean we should avoid it at the grocery store, or throw it out if it’s in our refrigerator or pantry? Usually the answer is no. Expiration dates typically indicate food quality, not safety.
Here are a few definitions that I learned from the non-profit I volunteer with, that can help guide your decision making.
Sell by date: How long the store can display the product.
Use by date: The last date that the product is at peak quality.
Best before date: The best date for flavor and quality
I still have a few Jan 29th yogurts, and a few Feb 3rd yogurts from a different batch, in my refrigerator, and I fully intend on eating all of them. Each morning when I pop one open I give it the sensory test, which is the best way to determine if food is safe to eat.
Does it look ok? ✅
Does it smell ok? ✅
Does it taste ok? ✅
If everything checks out, then I’m good to enjoy my food, that was previously destined for the dumpster.