Key Terms and Phrases to Know
Open Date uses
a calendar date on a food product. The Open Date is not a safety date,
instead, this label tells how long to display the product for sale at
the store.
Best if Used By (or Before) date
is recommended for best flavor or quality. This is not a date to
purchase by, nor is it an indication that the product is unsafe after
this date.
Use By date
is the date recommended to use the product by in order to have the best
quality. This date has been determined by the manufacturer of the
product. Even after the Use By date, a food
should remain safe and wholesome if it has been properly stored and
handled. The Use By date is required on infant formula because, over
time, formula can separate and clog the bottle’s nipple. Do not use
infant formulas or similar medicinal food products
such as oral nutritional supplements or meal replacements after its Use
By date.
Closed or coded dates are packing numbers for use by the manufacturer.
Packaged on, Manufactured on or Prepared on. Packaging
dates are closely related to best before dates and are intended to give
consumers an idea of how long a product will maintain it’s quality.
These dates are used on food products with a shelf life of 90 days or
less.
Sell by or Freeze by dates
are other voluntary markings used in Canada specifically, and can help
the consumer make decisions about purchasing and storing food.
Canned foods are
safe indefinitely except when they are exposed to freezing temperature
or temperatures above 90° (32.2°C). A general rule is if the cans are
not rusted, dented or
swollen, they are safe for consumption; however, the following canned
items are best used by the dates outlined below.
- Canned tomatoes – use within 12-18 months of purchase
- Canned fruit – use within 12-18 months of purchase
- Canned vegetables – use within 2-5 years of purchase
- Canned meat and fish – use within 2-5 years of purchase
Eggs
Purchase eggs before the Sell By or Expiration (EXP) date on the carton and use within 3-4 weeks of purchase.
Refrigerate them in the original carton and store in the coldest part of the refrigerator, not in the door.
Robyn
Barefoot, a registered dietitian and expert in reducing food waste, shared these guidelines for meat, fish and poultry:
Meats
Fresh meats such as beef, pork and lamb should be used within 2-4 days
and kept refrigerated at 4 °C (40 °F). If it is brought home and placed
directly in the freezer, it should be frozen at – 18 °C (0 °F) for up to
8-12 months. Ground meat and fresh seafood
are an exception – due to their smaller surface area and increased
exposure to oxygen, ground meats and fish such as scallops and shrimp
should be kept in the fridge only 1-2 days before consumption and can
last in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Fish
Lean and fatty fish (cod, flounder, salmon) should be used within 3-4
days when refrigerated. If freezing fish, lean white fish can be frozen
up to 6 months but fatty fish such as salmon and trout only 2 months.
Poultry
Use poultry within 2-3 days of purchase or freeze for 2-3 months.
Hopefully these guidelines will help you waste less food. Prisons, for example, buy almost nothing but food with expired dates. The food is still safe to eat, but possibly not at its peak. Buy less, and use what you have before buying more. If your freezer looks like mine, it has little bags of bread, meat, chicken and leftovers that have been around for months. I should use it up before buying more, but that's hard to do. Anyway, I hope these hints will help you waste less food and lower your food bill.
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