10 foods that are OK to use after their best-before date

And 10 foods you should bin

While some foods are best turfed out after their used-by date, other pantry and fridge staples may be fine to eat if their best-before date has been and gone.

Date labels on food packaging are a source of confusion and contention for many. In today’s day and age where we’re all trying to do our bit for the planet, throwing away food unnecessarily really pulls at the heartstrings – so I get trying to push the boundaries on date labels a little.

After all, if food looks and smells fine, why shouldn’t you be able to eat it?

Truth is, however, there’s a very good reason packaged foods have date labels on them – and it’s wise to follow suit, at least some of the time. To set the record straight, here’s what you need to know about date labels. 

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Use by vs. best before

You’ll find two kinds of date labels on food: best-before or use-by. While they’re often used interchangeably, they mean two very different things... so pay attention. 

Use-by dates are there for your safety and should be followed stringently. When food is past its use-by date, it means there’s a risk that consuming it will make you sick. Even if you think there’s nothing wrong with the food in question (read: it looks fine, smells fine and that little nibble you had tasted fine), food poisoning bacteria can still be lurking – so you shouldn’t feed it to yourself, your family or even your four-legged friends. In Australia, it’s illegal to sell food past its use-by date. 

Best-before dates, on the other hand, are more concerned with quality and are far more flexible. Storing food properly according to the instructions on the packet may mean it lasts even longer than the best-before date indicates. Obviously, it’s important to use common sense, but if a food shows no signs of spoilage and is past its best-before date, it probably won’t harm you if you eat it – but the catch is that it might have deteriorated in taste, texture or nutritional quality. 

Use-by dates are there for your safety and should be followed. Image: Getty

10 foods to throw out past their use-by date

To help get your head around date labels, here are 10 common foods that will have a use-by date and should not be consumed thereafter: 

• Fish
• Prawns
• Red meat
• Poultry 
• Milk
• Ready-to-eat salads
• Ready-made refrigerated meals
• Deli meats like ham or salami
• Store-bought dips
• Bagged salad leaves

Milk should never be consumed after the used-by date. Image: Getty

10 foods that are OK to use after their best-before date

On the other hand, here are 10 foods that may be OK to eat if their best-before date has been and gone:

• Weet Bix
• Tomato sauce
• Eggs
• Frozen peas and corn
• Peanut butter
• Tinned legumes
• Nuts
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Ricotta cheese
• Fresh fruit and vegetables 

Melissa Meier is a Sydney-based Accredited Practising Dietitian. You can connect with her on Instagram @honest_nutrition. 

Originally published as 10 foods that are OK to use after their best-before date