Misunderstood food date labels cost US families thousands of dollars each year. New FDA efforts to standardize labels and practical tips can help you save money and reduce waste.
Climate Town had a great video on the whole expiration date thing. It started off by manufacturers to help keep stock rotated and often were cryptic and not at all consistent. It was never meant as any guarantee of anything, and are mostly estimates.
It varies. Whole milk, you’re rolling 50/50. But 2% and less can last a while if you protect them from any warming, even briefly. I had milk going bad pretty early until I figured out that the door shelf is a few degrees warmer than the inside back. Always keep my milk back there and quickly pour it and return it, and I’ve had a few actually last almost a week past the date. I do always smell before I pour. Learned that lesson the hard way with some cereal once. Ew.
So they aren’t even making it a rule?
I was also hoping they would make rules about legibility and date formats (ideally ISO 8601 based)
Climate Town had a great video on the whole expiration date thing. It started off by manufacturers to help keep stock rotated and often were cryptic and not at all consistent. It was never meant as any guarantee of anything, and are mostly estimates.
Although with milk it tends to be pretty damn close in my experience.
It varies. Whole milk, you’re rolling 50/50. But 2% and less can last a while if you protect them from any warming, even briefly. I had milk going bad pretty early until I figured out that the door shelf is a few degrees warmer than the inside back. Always keep my milk back there and quickly pour it and return it, and I’ve had a few actually last almost a week past the date. I do always smell before I pour. Learned that lesson the hard way with some cereal once. Ew.