EDUCATIONtrust your senses

Products past their Best if Used By dates can still be good to eat if unopened and stored properly. Trust your senses to avoid unnecessary food waste and help the planet.

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TRUST YOUR SENSESLook, Smell and Taste before you waste

Best if Used By dates indicate when food and drink items will be at their peak freshness. If stored properly and unopened, you can consume your food and drinks items after this date. Simply Look, Smell and Taste to assess if it's still okay to consume.

a woman is holding a spoon in her mouth with her eyes closed .

trust your sensesA SIMPLE WAY TO AVOID FOOD WASTE

Confusion from date labels means that food with a Best if Used By date is often wasted unnecessarily. In fact, 20% of consumer food waste in the US results from misunderstanding date labels, (FDA, 2024). Understanding the difference between date labels will help you avoid CO2e emissions caused by food waste at home.

trust your sensesBEST IF USED BY, OFTEN GOOD AFTER

A Best if Used By date is a quality indicator - your food is at its peak freshness or ‘Best’ until that date if it was stored properly and unopened. By understanding what a Best if Used By means you can make the most of your food at home - reducing your food waste AND making the most of what you buy.

trust your sensesHow to Store Best if Used By Products

Most food with a Best if Used By date will need to be stored unopened in a cool and dry place to maintain its freshness. Follow the storage instructions on the back of your food or drink to ensure you’re storing things properly.

trust your sensesWhat to do with food after its Best if Used By

Many products are actually still good, even after their Best if Used By date, if stored properly. So trust your senses:

1. Look for any signs of mould or spoilage
2. Smell - if it smells sour or off it’s no longer okay to eat
3. Finally, Taste a small amount - if you still like the taste it’s fine to enjoy

Trusting your senses helps avoid unnecessary food waste and makes a real difference for the planet.

a person is holding a jar of pickles in a grocery store .

LOOKDoes your product look ok?

Avoid mould, discoloration and items with damaged packaging

SMELLDoes your product smell like normal?

Avoid pungent smells

TASTEDo you still like the taste?

Stay away from acidic or sour flavours

Become a pro at trusting your senses on our blog

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