Best Before vs Use By: What to Keep and What to Throw

Published Feb 2026 · 5 min read

A carton of yogurt reads "Best before 14 Feb." Today is February 16th. Is it garbage, or is it lunch? For most people, it goes straight in the bin. But in the majority of cases, that yogurt is perfectly fine — and the confusion between date labels is one of the biggest drivers of unnecessary food waste at home.

The two labels, explained

"Use by" is about safety. It appears on highly perishable foods — fresh meat, fish, ready-made salads, unpasteurized dairy. After this date, the food may harbor harmful bacteria even if it looks and smells fine. Follow use-by dates strictly.

"Best before" (sometimes "Best by" or "BBE") is about quality. It tells you when a product is at its peak freshness — texture, flavor, color. After this date, food may taste slightly less vibrant but is almost always safe to eat. Canned goods, dry pasta, rice, cereal, chocolate, yogurt, and hard cheese routinely last days, weeks, or even months past their best-before dates.

Common myths that cause waste

• "If it's past the date, it's dangerous." Only true for use-by dates. A can of chickpeas that's one month past its best-before date is completely safe.
• "Eggs expire on the printed date." Eggs often last 3–5 weeks past their sell-by date when refrigerated. The float test is your friend: fill a bowl with water and place the egg in. If it sinks and lies flat, it's fresh. If it stands upright, use it soon. If it floats, discard it.
• "Mold on cheese means throw the whole block." For hard cheeses like cheddar or parmesan, you can cut off the moldy section (plus 1 cm around it) and eat the rest safely. For soft cheeses like brie or ricotta, discard the whole piece.
• "Bread past its date is unsafe." Stale bread is not the same as spoiled bread. If there's no visible mold, it's fine — toast it, make croutons, or blend it into breadcrumbs.

How to check if common foods are still good

Dairy (milk, yogurt)

Smell it. Sour or off odor? Discard. If it smells fine and the texture is normal, it's safe regardless of the best-before date. Plain yogurt frequently lasts 1–2 weeks past its label date when refrigerated properly.

Meat and fish

Always follow the use-by date. If meat has turned grey or green, feels slimy, or smells noticeably bad, discard it even if the date hasn't passed. When in doubt, don't risk it — these are the foods where safety margins matter most.

Eggs

Use the float test described above. A fridge thermometer helps ensure your eggs are stored at a consistent, safe temperature. [Amazon link placeholder — fridge thermometer]

Canned goods

Cans are designed for long shelf life. As long as the can isn't swollen, dented at the seam, or rusted through, the contents are safe. Best-before dates on cans are extremely conservative — many items last years beyond the printed date.

A labeling system that helps

One practical trick: when you open something or put leftovers in the fridge, stick a small label on it with the date you opened it. [Amazon link placeholder — removable date label stickers] This removes the guesswork entirely. "Opened Tuesday" is far more useful than a best-before date printed six weeks ago at the factory.

The bottom line

Date labels exist to protect you, but misunderstanding them leads to enormous waste. Learn the difference, trust your senses for quality-dated items, and respect safety dates on perishable goods. Your bin will be lighter, your fridge will make more sense, and perfectly good food will end up on your plate instead of in the trash.