What does "Best if Used By" mean on food packaging?

Best if Used By or Best Before is a quality date set by the manufacturer. The product can still be safe to eat after that date if it has been stored properly, but it may not be at peak flavor, texture, or nutrition. It is not a safety deadline. (USDA FSIS)

Is "Sell By" the same as an expiration date?

No. Sell-By dates are intended for the retailer to manage inventory rotation, not for consumers. A product is usually still good for some time after the Sell-By date, depending on storage. (USDA FSIS)

What does "Use By" mean?

Use By is the last date the manufacturer recommends for peak quality. For most foods it is still a quality date, not a safety date. The exception is infant formula, where the federal Use By date is required and must be followed for safety. (USDA FSIS, FDA)

Is food safe to eat after the expiration date?

Usually yes, if it has been stored at the right temperature, the packaging is intact, and there are no signs of spoilage (off smell, slimy texture, mold, off color). Always use your senses, not the printed date alone. The exception is infant formula.

Is there a federal law requiring expiration dates on food?

Other than infant formula, federal regulations do not require product dating in the United States. Most date labels are set voluntarily by the manufacturer. (USDA FSIS)

Guide · Date labels

What "Best By," "Sell By," "Use By," and "Freeze By" really mean.

Federal date labels on food packaging in the United States are almost always about quality, not safety. There is exactly one exception. Here's the rest of it, sourced from USDA FSIS.

The short version Other than infant formula, federal regulations do not require date labels on food. Manufacturers add them voluntarily, and they signal peak quality — not when the food becomes unsafe. Use your senses (smell, look, texture) and how the food has been stored, not the printed date alone.

The four labels you'll see

The labels read like cousins, but they're saying different things to different audiences. None of them is a federally-mandated expiration date, except in one specific case.

Quality date · For consumers

"Best if Used By" / "Best Before"

The most common label. It's the date the manufacturer thinks the food will taste, look, and feel its best — peak flavor, original texture, full nutrition. After this date, the food can still be perfectly safe; it just may not be at its best.

Sealed pantry items like peanut butter, dry pasta, canned goods, and condiments are routinely fine months past this date when stored properly.

Inventory date · For retailers

"Sell By"

This date is for the store, not for you. It tells the retailer the latest date they should display the product for sale, so there's still reasonable shelf life left when you buy it.

It is not a date that tells you the food is unsafe after that day. Most refrigerated items keep their full quality for days or weeks past the Sell-By date if stored at the right temperature.

Quality date · For consumers · One safety exception

"Use By"

For most products, "Use By" is another quality date — the manufacturer's recommendation for peak freshness. Food past this date is usually still safe if stored properly and there are no signs of spoilage.

The one exception: infant formula. The Use-By date on infant formula is a safety date, set under federal regulation. Past the date, the formula may not provide the nutrients infants need and the can liner may break down. Don't use infant formula past its Use-By date.

Quality date · For freezing

"Freeze By"

The date by which the product should be moved to the freezer for best quality preservation. After the Freeze-By date, the food can still be frozen but may not retain ideal texture or flavor once thawed.

So how do you actually know if food is still good?

Date labels are a starting point, not a deadline. The real signals are storage history and your senses.

Storage. Was the food held at a safe temperature? The fridge should be at 40°F (4°C) or below. The freezer should be at 0°F (-18°C) or below.
Packaging. Has the seal been broken? Is the can bulging or rusted? Are jars or bottles leaking? Bulging cans are a serious red flag — discard immediately.
Smell. Sour milk, rancid oil, ammonia from meat, vinegar smell from yogurt — your nose catches most things before they catch you.
Look. Mold (any color), off-color meat, slime on produce, separation that won't restir, discolored fish.
Texture. Slimy chicken, mushy fruit beyond its prime, cracked or wrinkled eggs, sticky bread surface.
Time since opening. Once opened, the printed date is irrelevant. Most opened condiments and dairy follow a fridge-shelf-life rule of days to weeks. Look up the specific item for opened durations.

Common examples

Want the specific shelf life for an item? Here are a few of the most-searched:

Whole milk 5–7 days fridge Eggs (raw) 3–5 weeks fridge Raw chicken 1–2 days fridge Greek yogurt 1–2 weeks fridge Ketchup (opened) 6 months fridge Honey Indefinite pantry

Or search the full database for the item you have in your fridge.

When in doubt, throw it out

This is the standard food-safety mantra and it's there for a reason. The cost of throwing out food you weren't sure about is at most a few dollars. The cost of getting a foodborne illness is much higher — days of being sick, possible hospitalization, and (for some pathogens like Listeria in pregnant people or vulnerable adults) much worse.

Don't taste-test food you suspect might be spoiled. Many foodborne illnesses don't change flavor noticeably — a tiny taste isn't a safety check.