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Sell by, best by, and use by are all labels that we commonly see on foods in the grocery store. They are on just about anything that is packaged, from milk and bagged produce to cookies and soda. Is there really a difference between the terms, and if so, what is it?
BusinessWeek actually has some of the answers for us. A "sell by" date is one that indicates to a store how long the product should be offered for sale, although such a product will almost always be good for at least a few days beyond that date. A "best by" date means that the flavor or texture of a food will begin to decline at that point. The "use by" date is the real expiration date. Beyond it, there is no guarantee that the food will be fresh and tasty or that it will retain all of the nutrients that it started out with. The overall quality of the product can begin to decrease and you're probably better of just starting again with a fresh bottle/can/bag.
The best strategy is to buy foods in small batches so you don't have to worry about expiration dates of any sort coming on too quickly, but keep the dates in mind as you shop for reference points, and choose products with further dates if you know you're not going to be consuming everything you buy in a short period of time.
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10-03-2006 @12:36PM MJ said... This is a good one. but what about milk always seems to go bad before the date expires.Speaking of the lowfat . Ive found that the whole milk doesnt do that. tried using powdered milk which is good chilled, family not having it!
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10-03-2006 @4:20PM dlz said... finally, a little clarity, and i agree with the bit about buying small batches. now, if we can get this info, the color-changing labels and nutritional information that covers both serving and container amounts all in one place up front so you don't have to turn a poackage eighteen different ways to figure things out...
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10-03-2006 @5:05PM compuntoes said... Good post Nicole, most of people are a bit confused or don't know about what these terms mean in reality.
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10-03-2006 @7:11PM Vitor Hugo said... And remember, these dates are valid only to the produts you don't open, when open it doesn't matter at all theses dates. Because the produt begins ruin by microorganisms and the food's own enzymes.
If you don't have any ideia when milk, juice, whatever were opened, don't eat or drink.
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10-06-2006 @6:33AM PEPPA said... THERE YA GO VICTOR..... MANY PEOPLE THINK THATJUST BECAUSE THERE'S A GOOD DATE ON A PRODUCT THEY HAVE ALL THAT TIME TO CONSUME IT.... UGG ! ONCE THE PRODUCT IS OPENED, IT STARTS TO DETERIORATE IN THE REFRIDGERATOR.. MY RULE OF THUMB IS THIS.... FINISH PRODUCT WITHIN THREE DAYS.... OR CHUCK IT ON THE FOURTH
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10-06-2006 @6:35AM kas said... Also keep in mind, that for refrigerator items, it also depends on how cold you keep your fridge, as to how long things will last past their "sell buy" date. I keep mine pretty cold due to the summer heat, and my milk will last til its gone. And for other items that have a longer shelf life in the fridge, use a permanent marker and write on the container when you first opened it; I use that on jellies, mayo etc and then there is no question when I opened it.
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10-06-2006 @6:35AM Pete said... And to think my mother has canned goods in her pantry that are thirty plus years old. They are there "just in case".
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10-06-2006 @6:45AM ro said... many items will have somewhere in fine print "use within 7 (or whatever) days of opening."
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10-06-2006 @6:53AM jj said... Good one Peppa. I also find that's about how long anything tastes as it should. Thanks.
JJ
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10-06-2006 @7:18AM Judy Barrett said... Good article & good information. Suggestion: Comment on soium content of canned food. Does sodium content include broth in canned veggies? Does rinsing remove some of the sodium?
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10-06-2006 @7:22AM Norma Jean Cecil said... Lots of products have a code # and not a date that I can interpret..how do you know the expiration date from these codes?
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10-06-2006 @7:23AM Jenn said... To be on the safe side, we always write w/sharpie on the food product after we open it, so you know how long it's been opened. It can't hurt! Especially for condiments that aren't used everyday.
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10-06-2006 @7:51AM Rebecca said... For MJ: If it's true that your milk is always going bad before the date on the jug, then your refrigerator is most definitely not at a cold enough setting. I have mine set really cold (just under the point at which things freeze on the top shelf) and find that milk will keep MUCH longer than the "sell by" date on the jug. (And your beer will be icy cold, too!) Rebecca
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10-06-2006 @7:53AM Shelley said... I want to know about eggs and their shelf life. How long past their "sell by date" are they good?
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10-06-2006 @7:59AM Raymond said... Expiration dates on food products are commonly viewed when making a purchase. Did you know there are also expiration dates (not use by or best by) on toothpaste, mouthwash - even water? Check your medicine cabinet as well. That cough syrup you bought last month may be expired. Just about everything you eat, drink, snort or rub into your belly will expire.
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10-06-2006 @8:06AM I. Tarrant said... Going from a household of 6 to a household of one, I began to downsize my buying but found that the cost remained the same. Discovered that i could still buy a gallon of juice or milk, divide them into 4 quarts and freeze. Using one quart at the time, I am able to keep prices low yet retain the freshness of the product. This has worked on baked goods, cheeses, as well as economy size fruits and vegetables.
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10-06-2006 @8:09AM Adrienne W said... When I open a product, I always put a sticker on it with the date it was opened. I buy the stickers from Wal-Mart in the office/school supply dept. They come in colors and are great for helping me determine when to throw a product out. In some cases I also put a sticker on the product with the expiration date in case the one printed on the item becomes illegible over time. I've been doing this for years and have never had a problem with not knowing how old a product is. I also keep a list of shelf lives for products which can be found on most product websites or obtained by email request from the company. All of this makes it easier for me to keep my family safe from using spoiled products.
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10-06-2006 @8:13AM Lon said... In reference to the first reader's comment about how milk goes bad before the expiration date, here is what I think is the cause, and what I do. I don't think the stores keep the refrigerator's cold enough, and people leave the doors open too long. Anyway, as soon as I get home, I put the milk in the freezer till it just starts to freeze. Then I put it in the refrigerator. Ice cold milk tastes better too.
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10-10-2006 @8:17PM Geraldine said... If expiration dates on cans are so important to their freshness..... then please explain how our soldiers ate, and eat from searations ( canned foods ) that are 10,20 & 30 yrs old?? and still are alive to tell about it!!
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10-06-2006 @8:40AM Verna Soucy said... Skim milk will spoil faster than milk with cream no matter how cold. I have talked to grocery store managers all over and they all say the same thing. But no one seems to know why. I stopped buying it and have resorted to powdered milk. Can anyone explain this?
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