Guides

Date labels, food safety and simple habits that keep food from going to waste.

Best before, use by, sell by: what food dates meanThe difference between best before, use by, sell by and freeze by dates, which ones are about safety, and how to read date codes on food labels.
Can you eat food after the best-before date?Which foods are usually fine after their best-before date, which ones you should never eat past a use-by date, and how to check food that's past its date.
How much food does the average household waste?The latest figures on household food waste worldwide and in the US: how much is wasted, what it costs a family, and the simplest ways to waste less.
How to organize your fridge so food lasts longerWhere to put meat, dairy, eggs, leftovers and vegetables in the fridge, the right temperature, and simple habits that keep food fresh and stop it being forgotten.
How to store fruit and vegetablesWhich fruits and vegetables belong in the fridge, which on the counter and which in a cool, dark cupboard, plus how ethylene affects ripening.
Meal planning to reduce food wasteA simple weekly meal planning method that starts with what's already in your fridge, so you buy less, cook what you have and throw away less food.
The 2-hour rule: how long can food sit out?Perishable food shouldn't sit at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour above 32 °C (90 °F). What the danger zone is, and how to cool and keep food safely.
What freezes well, and what doesn'tWhich foods freeze well and which turn mushy, how long frozen food keeps its quality, how to freeze without freezer burn, and how to thaw safely.