Have you ever looked through your pantry and tossed out foods because they were past the “best if used by” date?

Do you find yourself searching through your fridge and debating whether to throw out that yogurt you recently bought, because it’s now past its “sell by” date? Perhaps you thought, “It still smells good, but how bad is it?”

These questions often confuse consumers, and it raises a bigger question: Do food dates actually matter?

In short, yes. However, consumers need to be educated. The misunderstandings of food dating are a common problem which contribute to food waste.

On a wide spectrum, as much as an estimated 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted each year around the globe. Closer to home, 80 billion pounds of food is thrown away each year within the U.S.

Meanwhile, an estimated 38 million Americans experienced food insecurity within the last year. Much of the food wasted is edible and nutritious. One of the ways that we can work to reduce this, is by educating ourselves, and making the most out of our groceries.

Learn more to avoid wasting food

Check out this insightful article on Vox. It discusses a brief history of food dating, how its misinterpretation poses environmental, financial, and cultural implications, as well as ideas for positive change.

Click here to learn more surprising food waste facts. Download our free Food Dating Guide to learn more about food dating terms and codes, as well as suggestions for safely eating foods after its printed date.

Our purpose is to feed, empower, and unite our community. Our mission, to nourish our neighbors in the fight against hunger. But, the distribution of this food is only possible because of your support.

To continue to support Feeding Westchester, we encourage you to donate here. To find help, click here.