Can you eat food after it’s expired? Here’s what to know

SAN ANTONIO – With grocery prices rising and SNAP benefits set to end on Nov. 1, knowing how long your food can last is as important as ever.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) says that some food may still be good even after it hits its labeled expiration date, but how do you know what to look for?

To make the most of the food we buy for as long as possible, we wanted to know: How long is something actually good for? When is it really time to throw it out?

It turns out the “sell by,” “use by” and “best by” labels on foods do not mean the same thing.

For quick reference, here’s what each date means:

Best by: This date indicates when something is at its peak quality or flavor.

Sell by: This date refers to how long a store should display or sell an item.

Use by: This is the last recommended day a product can be eaten at peak quality.

But wait — none of these dates says when the food is actually expired.

So, when should you throw something out? Here’s the rundown on common everyday foods:

Expiration dates on food are listed simply to help people verify how fresh the food is, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, not to indicate when the food is no longer safe to eat.

Yet, 84% of people throw out food when it’s close to the “expiration” date, Time reported in 2019.

The USDA said even if the date on your product has passed, chances are, it’s still good, so you don’t need to be so hasty in throwing out food. In short, all those dates on your food ultimately refer to quality, not safety.

The USDA pointed out that the bacteria that cause food poisoning do not grow in the freezer, so regardless of how long something has been in the freezer, it should be safe to eat for some time (assuming it was put in the freezer during a safe timeframe).

When it comes down to it, you should be able to see, smell or taste when a food has gone bad. If you’re still not sure, the USDA has created a comprehensive app called Foodkeeper that shows how long each food lasts. Click here to learn more about it.

Read more on KSAT:

• San Antonio Food Bank prepared to ‘empty the warehouse’ after USDA opts against continuing SNAP benefits
• Trump administration posts notice that no federal food aid will go out Nov. 1