Use by
A use by date is the safety deadline on perishable food like fresh meat, fish and dairy. After it, do not eat the food, even if it looks and smells fine.
Also called Use-by date, Use by date.
A use by date is about safety. In the EU and the UK, it goes on food that spoils quickly and could make you ill soon after, such as fresh meat and fish, cooked meats, ready meals, soft cheese and smoked fish. The UK Food Standards Agency says not to eat, cook or freeze food after its use by date, even if it looks and smells fine. Some bacteria, such as Listeria, can grow in the fridge without changing how food looks or smells.
How to use it
- Eat, cook or freeze the food by the end of the use by date.
- Follow the storage instructions, such as "keep refrigerated". The date only holds if you do.
- Once a pack is open, follow any "once opened, eat within" instruction. It is often shorter than the use by date.
- Keep your fridge at 5°C (41°F) or below. The USDA advises 4°C (40°F) or below.
How to store it
You can freeze food right up to its use by date. Freezing pauses the clock but does not reset it. When you thaw the food, the UK FSA says to eat it within 24 hours. Label frozen food with the date you froze it.
Common mistakes
- Using the sniff test. Food can smell fine and still be unsafe.
- Confusing use by with best before, which is about quality. Food past its best before date is usually still safe.
- Freezing food after the date has passed.
- Leaving use by food out of the fridge. Time in the danger zone shortens its safe life.
- Assuming cooking makes out-of-date food safe. Some bacteria make toxins that heat does not destroy.
In recipes
Recipes do not mention dates, but plan around them. Cook the ingredients with the earliest use by date first, the first in, first out rule. If a dish made from them will not be eaten soon, cool it quickly and freeze it.
The meaning differs between countries. In the EU and the UK, "use by" has a legal meaning, and shops may not sell food after it. In the US, there is no federal rule on date labels except for infant formula. A "use by" date on most US food is the maker's advice about peak quality. The USDA says to follow it and the storage guidance, and to throw away food that has spoiled or been left out too long.
Related terms
- Best beforeA best before date marks when food is at its best quality, not when it turns unsafe. Food can usually be eaten after it if stored as directed.
- First in, first outFirst in, first out (FIFO) means using your oldest food first. Put new groceries behind older ones so nothing expires at the back of the shelf.
- Danger zoneThe danger zone is the temperature range where bacteria grow fastest, 4 to 60°C (40 to 140°F) in USDA guidance. Keep food out of it as much as you can.
- ThawThawing brings frozen food back above freezing safely, in the fridge, in cold water or in the microwave, and never on the kitchen counter.
- Cooling food safelyCooling food safely means getting hot leftovers cold fast so bacteria cannot grow. Split big batches, use shallow containers and chill within 2 hours.