Expiration dates can be hard to locate on a product and even more challenging to decipher. Currently, the United States does not have a regulated or standard system for coding expiration dates on food, except for those on baby food and infant formula. All other dates and codes are added voluntarily by manufacturers. Whether you’re a consumer who is interested in determining when the product that you want to buy is going to expire, or a grocer who is taking initiative to track expiration dates, learning how to read different types of expiration date codes is an important skill.
There are two types of expiration date codes on products. The first type is open dating, which uses a standard time or calendar date. These dates are typically followed by labels, such as “use-by”, “sell-by”, or “pull-by”. Use-by dates are intended for consumers and indicate when a product will start to deteriorate, while the latter two are for grocery stores to know how long to keep products displayed on the shelves. Typically, products are good for seven to ten days past their sell-by or pull-by dates. However, this is only a guideline. For instance, even the posted sell-by or best-if-used-by label found on many dry goods, such as canned food items, may not reflect the most accurate shelf life of these products. Canned goods may in fact last months beyond the expiration code if stored and handled effectively.
Baking Supplies. How to Make Baking Powder. Best by dates often signifiy how long food will be at its freshest. After this date, the product isn't necessarily ready for the trash. A box of crackers may still be safe to eat, just not be as crisp as they were before the 'best by' date.
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Closed coding is another form of listing expiration dates on products. These codes are typically a short string of numbers and sometimes letters stamped at the top or bottom of products. Unlike open dating, closed coding is used not by consumers, but by manufacturers to assist with inventory tracking.
Given that there is not one unified translation system for closed coding, learning to read these labels can often prove to be tricky.
In coding, if letters are used to signify months, “A” will indicate January all the way to December ending with “L”. Next to these letters will typically be numbers indicating the day and the year. However, sometimes the numbered year will come before the letter. On the other hand, if numbers are used to signify the month, 1-9 will represent January to September, while the last three months will be assigned the first letter of their name, respectively (O for October, N for November, and D for December).
Codes may also be comprised exclusively of numbers typically presented in the standard order of MMDDYY or YYMMDD (e.g., September 12, 2016 would be 091216 or 160912). Some codes also abide by the Julian calendar, which assigns a number to each day of the year from 1 to 365. In this case, September 12 would be 255.
Again, there is no definitive translation system for private expiration codes, as each manufacturer uses their own unique system. Still, learning these various forms of coding could eventually assist in reading these seemingly complex food expiration date codes with a bit more ease.
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This is a huge issue in our house. I always try to keep foods longer, and my husband is adamant that if the food in the fridge has a date, and that expiration date has passed, then it is time to throw it out. No ifs, ands, or buts.
However, I see it differently. I know that not all foods need to be thrown away right away. My mom never threw anything away.
I know there is a line for some foods (just avoid these fat gaining foods), but which foods are fine to keep around for awhile, and which are not?
Don’t get confused by the labeling. Some dates are for the consumers, and some are for the retailer. Here is what they mean:
- “Use by” and “Best by”: These dates are intended for consumer use, but are typically the date the manufacturer deems the product reaches peak freshness. It’s not a date to indicate spoilage, nor does it necessarily signal that the food is no longer safe to eat.
- “Sell by”: This date is only intended to help manufacturers and retailers, not consumers. It’s a stocking and marketing tool provided by food makers to ensure proper turnover of the products in the store so they still have a long shelf life after consumers buy them. Consumers, however, are misinterpreting it as a date to guide their buying decisions. The report authors say that “sell by” dates should be made invisible to the consumer.
Here are some foods (avoid these if you care about your health) you can keep after that annoying expiration date:
Milk: Most milk will stay fresh up to a week after expiration date. But use your smell sense for this one and make sure it doesn’t smell sour before pouring. If it does, time to get rid of. Otherwise, get that cereal ready.
Hard Cheese: I am notorious for putting good, expensive delicious cheese in the cheese drawer, only to be lost under other items and to only be found weeks later when I am craving some sharp cheese. Hard cheese can last up to four weeks after expiration date, even after it has been opened.
Mayonaise: This was a surprise to me as I have thrown away many jars of the white stuff when I didn’t have to. Mayo will last up to 3 – 4 months after the expiration date as long as it was store bought and stored at the correct temperature after opening.
Meats: Fresh meat should not be eaten a day or two after its expiration date, but if you freeze your meats, they will last for up to a year or longer! So stock up on those meat or chicken sales and stick them in the freezer.
Pork: As long as your pork is fully cooked at the time of the expiration date, you can eat it up to three days after.
Expiration Dates On Ritz Crackers
Potato Chips: Since chips are highly processed, they will last months after the expiration date as long as they are stored properly. Just throw them out if they smell or taste stale.
Canned goods: Have you ever wondered about people’s food storage and why it is full of canned goods? Because canned goods don’t expire for years after the expiration date. The cans don’t get oxygen in them, so bacteria does nor grow. For best results keep in cooler dryer, darker part of your house.
Eggs: Most eggs stay fresh one month after the expiration date, mostly because they are refrigerated. However, if you’re not sure there is a very simply way to tell if your egg is good: if it sinks to the bottom it is fine to eat, if it floats throw it out.
Bread: Freezing bread before the expiration date will make it last significantly longer than leaving it on the counter or even the fridge. So go ahead and go to those bakery thrift stores and stock up!
Processed cereal. Again, highly processed. They might not taste exactly the same, but they should last for up to 6 months past expiration date as long as it is stored correctly with an elastic seal.
Expiration Dates On Crackers
https://coolyup769.weebly.com/messages-app-download-for-mac.html. Water: Does not expire, period. Many states regulate that everything consumed needs an expiration date, but water lasts indefinitely. Just be cautious of the water bottles it may be siting in.
Butter: This one surprised me. If your butter is going to expire, throw it in the fridge. Thaw and use for baking. Just make sure you use it quickly after thawing and don’t re-freeze. Make sure your butter was unopened before freezing.
Pasta: This is one you can keep for months after expiration dates. It is a dry good so it will last much, much longer than it says. If it has a funny smell or feels stale, throw it out. Just make sure to keep in pantry and not the refrigerator.
Expiration Dates On Crackers Hidden Valley Ranch
Soda: There are a lot of chemicals in those drinks, so the shelf life lasts a long time. Scientists believe that diet (avoid these 4 diet mistakes) soda is fine to drink 4 months after the stamped date, and regular soda can last 9 months.
Pickled Foods: Anything stored in salt and acidic liquid, such as vinegar and brine, will last well past its due date. Here is a delicious recipe for pickled green beans.
Lettuce: Greens and lettuce can look wilted and not appetizing once they have been left in the fridge too long, but with a quick ice bath, it will bring them back to life. However, if any lettuce or greens look visibly decayed, throw it out.