A lot of food goes to waste because people think it can't be eaten.
Some people stick to the dates on food, whether it states "best before" or "use by".
According to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) one in five adults have eaten smaller portions because of the cost of living crisis, and are buying food beyond its "use by" date. In a survey of 4,700 people, the ONS found one in seven (15%) adults were somewhat, or very, worried their food would run out before they had money to buy more, reported The Mirror.
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Being aware of the labels on your food can help you to save you money and help cut down on food waste. Knowing the differences between 'use by' and 'best before' could help you make your food last longer, meaning your money goes further too.
What is the difference between best before and use by on food?
"Use by" dates are used to show when a product is no longer safe to eat - therefore, you shouldn't consume a product beyond this date on its packaging. The Food Standards Agency explains that people should "never eat food after the use by date, even if it looks and smells ok, as it could make you very ill".
People should also not cook or freeze the food, as the FSA has warned that "you cannot smell the bacteria which make you ill".
Meanwhile, "best before" dates are about the quality of food - this is all to do with when the quality and texture could start to decline. Many supermarkets have dropped the use of "best before" labels as they claim that they create food waste.
This is because consumers may get confused and dispose of the food item, when it may still be fine to eat. You don't necessarily need to bin a food once its "best before" date has passed - instead, use its appearance, smell and taste to decide whether it is ok to eat. However, keep in mind that the further away the "best before" date was, the more the texture and quality is likely to have declined.
An exception to the rule
We should mention one exception to the "best before" rule: eggs. You should never eat eggs beyond their "best before" date due to the risk of salmonella.
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