A recent survey by the Harvard Food Law and Poverty Clinic and the Natural Resources Defense Council found that Americans waste 160 billion pounds of food each year — as much as $1,500 worth of food every year per household. Confusion about the expiration dates on food packages was cited as a key reason for the waste.
The U.S. study found that 90% of consumers dispose of food by the “use-by” date. However the dates on food labels usually have nothing to do with food safety.
In the United States,Use-By, Best if Used By, Best By and Best Before dates are provided voluntarily by the manufacturer and tell you how long the product is likely to remain at its absolute best quality when unopened. But, as the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service points out, they are not safety dates.
• Eggs: Pay no attention to the “Sell By” date. Eggs should keep for three to five weeks in the refrigerator.
• Milk. Usually fine until a week after the "Sell By" date.
• Poultry and seafood. Cook or freeze this within a day or two.
• Canned goods. Highly acidic foods like tomato sauce can keep 18 months or more. Low-acid foods like canned green beans are probably risk-free for up to five years.
• Cereal: Boxes typically come printed with a “Best Before” date, but it’s a conservative estimate set by manufacturers for peak quality. Cereals can stay fresh for up to three months if you refold the inner bag tightly.
• Deli Meat: You can keep unopened packages of sandwich meat in your fridge for two weeks—even if the “Sell By” date has come and gone.
• Bread: Ignore the “Best By” or “Sell By” date. Placing your loaf in the fridge can extend freshness by two weeks.
• Honey, Sugar, non-brown rice, hard liquor, Maple syrup, PURE VANILLA EXTRACT, Salt, Cornstarch, DISTILLED WHITE VINEGAR: Stays fresh indefinitely. Store in cool, dry area; keep package tightly closed between uses.
o Ground Cinnamon: 3-4 years
o Ground Ginger: 3-4 years
o Bay Leaves, dried: 1-3 years
o Oregano Leaves, dried : 1-3 years
o Chili powder: 3-4 years
o Whole Nutmeg: 4 years
o Crushed Red Pepper: 2-3 years
o Black Peppercorns, whole: 4 years
TAKEAWAY: Pay attention and save money.