Nearly 90% of us throw food out before it is actually bad and that can be for a misunderstanding of food labels. The most common designations on packaging are sell-by, best-by, and use-by, but what do these all mean? And which one should you follow when it comes to getting rid of uneaten food?

Sell-By Date

First, the sell-by date is not meant for consumer use. This date is aimed at retailers to tell them when the product should be sold or removed from the shelf. It is not a safety indicator for consumers. About a third of a product’s shelf life remains after the sell-by date.

Best-By Date

The second label is the best-by date. This is used as a quality indicator for us, the consumers. The product is still safe to eat after the date, but the taste or texture might have diminished or the product might not have the full vitamin content indicated on the package.