Have you ever seen a packet of milk in your fridge and wondered if it's still good to drink? You may smell it, and then check the dates on the back. The use-by date is days away, but you opened the packet a few days ago. You’re not sure — should you still drink it? That’s a common feeling; in fact, most people find all the different dates on the back of a packet difficult to understand.
Different kinds of foods can come with different kinds of dates. One might say Use-By, another says Best Before, and some say Expiry. It's common to assume that all these dates mean the same thing; they’re all expiry dates. So you might wonder, then why have different names?
Look at it this way: each date tells you a different story; some about quality, and some about safety. The difference is slight, but all the more helpful to understand. It might change the way you think about food — without thinking that once a date has passed, the food needs to be thrown away.
The Labels
There are five common dates you might see on various packets: Best Before, Use By, Expiry, Consume After X Days, and Manufacturing Date.
Here’s what each of them means:
Source: Eat Without Worry
Who Sets The Dates?
Despite what many people think, these dates are not set by a regulator or scientist who determines when exactly the food becomes unsafe. Rather, they are largely set by manufacturers themselves, based on quality testing. This means the dates come from people who know that product better than anyone else. They’ve tested it, and they’re telling you when it’s at its best.
Back to that packet of milk in the fridge. The Use-By date is still a few days away, but you opened it last week. Now you know that the date isn't the only thing to pay attention to. When you opened it matters just as much. Your instinct to smell the milk before deciding isn't wrong either; it just works best when you know which date to pair it with. Remember, Use-By is about safety, Best Before is about quality, and Expiry is about both.
The dates on packets aren't all saying the same thing. Some might be telling you about the product's quality, and others about safety. Knowing which is which can help you make more informed choices. And regardless of what any of these dates say, keep an eye on when you open the packet. Together, the dates and your senses are usually enough to help you decide whether the food is still good.
