Wisdom-Filled Ways to Maximize Your Grocery Budget

Certainly, food sometimes goes bad, but how much of what we purchase could be used just by rethinking what “out of date” really means?

According to the U.S.D.A., the average family of four spends about $900 a month in groceries. That doesn’t include eating out. If you could save just 10% of that by wasting less food, you’d be more than a thousand dollars ahead at the end of the year.

Achieving this starts with a better understanding of expiration dates. What do “Sell by” and “best by” dates actually mean? The following definitions exclude infant formula and baby foods.

When you see “best if used by or before,” it means the date when the product has the best quality or flavor. It does not refer to safety. Foods can be consumed after those dates.

A “use by” date means the last day the item is at its best. In most cases, you still have time to use it.

You might also see a “sell by” date on a package. In most states, that is a manufacturer’s suggestion and the item can still be sold after that date, often at a reduced price.

A “freeze by” date is another recommendation from the U.S.D.A., not a hard and fast rule, and it simply means the date by which the item should be frozen to maintain optimum quality.

What this means, again with the exception of baby products, is that none of these labels is an indication of the safety of food items. Then how do you know when an item is safe?

U.S.D.A’s Food Safety and Inspection Service says that foods that are past their “best if used by” date (but not showing signs of spoilage) should still be safe to use. Of course, that depends on the individual item and the temperature where it’s stored.

Another possible exception to this “rethinking process” is eggs. Some states prohibit “sell by” dates on eggs and some require more restrictive “expiration dates.” In any case, it’s probably best not to use eggs after any type of end date.

• Fresh eggs in the shell should last 3 to 5 weeks in the fridge. Figure 7 days for bacon, or a month in the freezer. Raw hamburger, 1 to 2 days refrigerated, or 3 to 4 months in the freezer.