DINE OR DUMP?

Americans toss billions of dollars worth of food every year. A good portion of that is still safe to eat, but we don't because of confusion over expiration labels. Licensed dieticians say those dates are often mistaken as the deadline to toss. But many of the items are still safe to eat, far past what's labeled. Cheese typically lasts for a couple weeks; condiments can last a couple months; eggs are good three to five weeks after the expiration date. Congress is now considering the Food Date Labeling act of 2016,  which aims to clear up the food date dilemma with by adding a quality date and a safety date to let consumers know when the food is past its peak and when it becomes unsafe to eat. Currently the dates listed are merely guidelines for the manufacturer:

• "Sell by" dates are meant to let stores know when to pull the product from their shelves. Just make sure you purchase the product before the date passes.
• "Use by" dates mark when the item is at its peak quality.
• "Best by" dates are recommended for best flavor.

Source: KPMI, 7/19/16, Expiration Labels