Shaking off the old and making way for the new is how many of us kick off our New Year. How can you apply this concept to refresh your kitchen? Out With The Old, In With The New: Decoding the Dates helps you clear your shelves of old, expired food and make way for new, fresh groceries. How many of us pick up an item in our fridge, look at the date, and have second thoughts about whether our food is still safe for us to eat? We see the words “best by”, “use by”, or “sell-by,” followed by a date, but what does it all mean? I understand this terminology can be a bit confusing. Here are some pointers that can help you decode the dates so you can decide what goes out and what stays in. Read on to learn more about Out With The Old, In With The New: Decoding the Dates.

Use-by, best before, best if used by – This is a date made up by the manufacturer to ensure the freshest, highest quality product if consumed before the date that is printed on the package. It is not an expiration date, so you don’t have to be so quick to throw away food if you notice it’s past the date provided. Give it a good look and smell test if you are unsure.

Sell-by – This is the last date the grocery store will keep the item on the shelf, but that does not mean it should be the last day on your shelf. You can still enjoy these items past the date provided. BUT, if you are unsure, examine it before eating it by smelling it and looking for color changes.

Expires on – I usually see these on canned foods, boxes of pasta, and many other pantry staples. Sometimes it’s just a printed date. If it’s past the expiration date, I advise not to use it. It’s not worth risking a food-borne illness.

Checking the dates helps ensure your food is safe to eat. So what about foods that are on the cusp of going out, but are still good? Whipping up one of these 27 dietitian approved recipes for soups, smoothies, and sauces is a great way to use up groceries before they go bad, and reduce food waste. (Tip: The Hamilton Beach Hand Blender makes these recipes a snap because it mixes, chops, and blends. It’s super easy to use and clean too.)

Feel bad about throwing food away? Check out your local food bank to see if they will take your items for donation.

By Nikki Karetov, Soon-To-Be Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

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