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Use-By vs Best-Before vs Sell-By: What Food Dates Really Mean

Exact references cover 0 of 8 detected claims in the English guide. The remaining statements have not completed exact-source review. References alone do not confirm every claim; normal smell or appearance does not prove safety.

Date labels on food are confusing because they use different words for different purposes. In the U.S., most dates are about quality and inventory, not a hard safety deadline — except infant formula, which must carry a use-by date for safety.

Sell-by date

A sell-by date tells the store how long to display a product. It is not a safety date for consumers. Milk is often still good for several days after the sell-by date if it has been kept cold.

Best-if-used-by / best-before

A best-if-used-by or best-before date is about peak quality — flavor, texture, and freshness — not automatic spoilage. Crackers, cereal, and canned goods are frequently fine well past this date if the package is intact.

Use-by date

A use-by date is the last date recommended for peak quality on perishable products such as refrigerated meat and deli items. It is still not a hard “throw out at midnight” rule for most foods — storage temperature matters more than the printed date.

The exception is infant formula: do not use formula after its use-by date.

When the date does not matter as much

  • Food has been kept at 40°F (4°C) or below continuously.
  • The package is unopened and undamaged.
  • There is no off smell, slime, mold, or unusual texture.

When to discard regardless of the date

  • Perishable food left out more than 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F / 32°C).
  • Bulging, leaking, or deeply dented cans.
  • Visible mold on soft foods (bread, berries, soft cheese).
  • Sour, rancid, or “off” smells on meat, dairy, or seafood.

Related on FoodLasts

Guides: How to tell if food is bad · The 2-hour rule

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Sources: USDA FSIS — Food Product Dating , FDA — Food Date Labels and Food Waste , FoodSafety.gov — Keep Food Safe . Content updated 2026-06-26. See the exact-source coverage above.