Many of us get confused by the dates printed on our food packaging. Some of us wouldn’t touch food even a day past the date listed, while others are comfortable to trust our senses and eat food well after. Knowing the difference between ‘use by’ and ‘best before’ is important in reducing food waste.
So what do these dates really mean?
Products with a Use By date are typically perishable and can spoil without showing any obvious signs, posing a potential risk to health if consumed after the date. On the other hand, Best Before dates are about quality rather than safety. In NZ, any food with a shelf life of less than two years is required to have a best before date on it. Foods with a Best Before date usually provide sensory clues (such as changes in smell, taste, or texture) that indicate when the product may no longer be at its best, but it’s still generally safe to eat.
When a food product is approaching or has passed it's Best Before date, it’s often still safe to eat. Instead of discarding it right away, use your senses to check if it's still good. Smell it—if it smells off, it's a sign to toss it. Look at its appearance—any changes in colour, texture, or mould? Finally, taste a small bit to see if it’s still fresh. Trusting your senses helps reduce food waste while ensuring you're not eating something that’s truly spoiled. Not sure? Check out our guide on what to look out for in common food items when performing a sensory check, your senses are your superpower.
Always follow the storage instructions on the packaging such as “eat within three days of opening”. These guidelines are there to help maintain the food's freshness and safety. Proper storage ensures you get the most out of your food and helps prevent waste by keeping it at its best for as long as possible.
A great way to save money and reduce waste is by buying discounted food close to its Use By date and freezing it for later use. Freezing helps extend the life of your food, allowing you to enjoy it when you need it. Just be sure to defrost and consume within 24 hours for the best quality and safety.
If you're pregnant, elderly, unwell, or feeding young children, take extra care with food safety. These groups are more vulnerable to foodborne illnesses, so it's important to be more cautious when it comes to food that's near or past its Best Before date. Always prioritise safety by following storage instructions and using your senses to assess food.
Best Before dates are about quality – think of it as a guideline. Food is safe to eat after this date when stored properly. Use your senses to check if it is safe to eat. Use By dates are about safety – think of it as a deadline. Food should not be eaten after this date.
Meat is fine to eat after its use by date, but only if it was frozen before the date. Defrost and cook it within 24 hours.
No – but it can last for many, many years, when stored in a cool, dry place. If a can has a small dent, the food should be safe to eat. But deep dents, one that you can lay your finger into, have sharp points that may let in bacteria, discard those cans. If you do not use all of the food from a can at once, transfer it to another container then store it in the fridge. Never store food in opened cans.
Any food with a shelf life of less than two years is required to have a best before date on it. Chances are your biscuits (or other packaged item) will still be good to eat long after this date.
Eggs are safe to eat after their best-before date but keep them in the fridge to keep them fresher for longer. To check if an egg is fresh do the float test: place it in a bowl of water, if it floats it’s no longer fresh enough to eat.
Dairy products have a best before date, which means they can safely be eaten after their date. Always use your senses to check it – if anything seems a bit off then don’t eat it. Sometimes yoghurt can get a bit watery. This liquid is the whey separating from the rest of the yoghurt. It is safe to eat – just mix it back into the yoghurt.
Yes. If you’re not going to eat it immediately, put it in the freezer. In New Zealand it is legal to sell food which has passed its best before date, as long as the food has been stored correctly, shows no signs of spoilage and is safe for human consumption. Food passed its use by date cannot be sold.
It is the manufacturer’s responsibility to determine the shelf-life of a product and whether it requires a best-before or use-by date. How this is determined will depend on the type of food and through extensive testing and evaluation. These dates are based on factors like food composition, storage conditions, and microbiological safety.
