ShelfLife
Can you eat food after the best-before date?
Often, yes. A best-before date is about quality, and many foods stay good well past it. A use-by date is different. Here's how to tell them apart, food by food.
Updated November 4, 2026
First, check which date it is
- Best before / best if used by: a quality date. The food is usually still safe after it if it was stored correctly and the package is intact.
- Use by: in the UK and EU, a safety date. Don't eat the food after it. In the US, "use by" is mostly about quality too, but perishable foods still have short safe storage times.
If you're unsure, read our guide to best before vs use by.
Usually fine after the best-before date
These foods are dry, acidic, salty, sugary or sealed, which makes them hard for bacteria to grow in. After the date they mostly lose flavor or texture:
| Food | What changes after the date |
|---|---|
| Dry pasta, rice, flour, oats | Can taste stale; whole-grain flour can go rancid |
| Breakfast cereal, crackers, chips | Lose crunch |
| Canned food | Slowly loses color and texture; throw out bulging or damaged cans |
| Honey, sugar, vinegar, salt | Practically nothing |
| Chocolate, coffee, tea, spices | Less aroma; chocolate may get a white bloom |
| Ketchup, mustard, soy sauce | Darker, milder |
| Frozen food kept at −18 °C (0 °F) | Safe; may get freezer burn |
Never eat past a use-by date
These foods can carry bacteria such as listeria or salmonella that grow in the fridge without any visible sign:
- Raw chicken, ground beef, pork and fish
- Deli meat, hot dogs, smoked salmon and pâté
- Fresh dairy with a use-by date, like milk and cream
- Ready meals, bagged salad and fresh hummus
- Infant formula
How to check food that's past its best-before date
- Look: mold, discoloration, a bulging lid or a damaged can mean it goes in the bin.
- Smell: a sour, rancid or fermented smell is a clear sign.
- Taste a little: if it looks and smells fine, a small taste tells you whether the quality is still acceptable.
These checks work for quality dates. They don't work for use-by foods, because harmful bacteria usually don't change the look or smell of food.
Opened food follows different rules
Once a package is opened, the printed date no longer counts. An opened jar of pasta sauce keeps only about 4 days in the fridge, even if its best-before date is a year away. Check the "use within X days of opening" line, or look up the food in our storage guide.
When in doubt, throw it out.
Sources
- USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service: Food product dating
- UK Food Standards Agency: Best before and use-by dates
Add food to ShelfLife with its date, and use things up before they get anywhere near it.