What foods can you eat after their expiration date? A guide to reading labels.

How many times have you found a food in the pantry or refrigerator with an expiration date past and wondered if it was still safe to eat?

The information on food packaging doesn’t all have the same meaning. To understand whether a product is still safe to eat, it’s essential to distinguish between the terms “use by” and “best before,” which indicate a limit related to safety and one related to product quality, respectively.

It’s important to remember that the dates on the label refer to unopened and properly stored products. Once the package is opened, the information may no longer be valid, and specific storage instructions must be followed.

These terms are defined at European level by Regulation (EU) No. 1169/2011, which establishes the rules for the labelling of food products.

“use by”: the real expiration date

When you find the words “use by” on a food , it’s the actual expiration date . This indication is mandatory for highly microbiologically perishable foods, such as fresh meat and fish, milk, and ready-to-eat foods.

After the indicated date, the product should not be consumed , even if it still appears to be in good condition. For this reason, the expiration date must be considered a categorical limit related to food safety .

“Best before”: a date linked to quality

The wording “Best before” indicates the minimum durability date. This date indicates the period within which the manufacturer guarantees that the product maintains its best characteristics in terms of taste, texture, aroma, and nutritional quality. You’ll often find it on products such as pasta, rice, biscuits, cereals, preserves, or frozen foods.

What foods to eat after the expiration date

Some products should be avoided because they are particularly delicate:

Fresh milk and cheeses: These are highly perishable foods and can develop harmful bacteria after they expire.
Packaged cold cuts and cured meats: these are highly susceptible to spoilage, which isn’t always visible to the naked eye.
Eggs: It is strongly recommended to respect the date indicated on the packaging, especially if they are consumed raw or undercooked.

For some products with a minimum shelf life it is possible to carry out an assessment of their condition:

Dried pasta: can often be consumed even after the best-before date if stored in a cool, dry place.
Packaged biscuits, snacks and sweets: they can remain safe even beyond the indicated date, even if they lose some of their original fragrance.
Canned and preserved foods: can often be consumed beyond their best before date, provided the packaging is intact, not swollen, and has been stored correctly.
Aged cheeses: These can be kept longer than fresh cheeses, but it’s always a good idea to check for any deterioration, abnormal mold, or unpleasant odors.

How to tell if a food is still good

If a product has exceeded its best before date , you can assess its status with a few simple checks:

Check the packaging (intact or damaged)
visual inspection (color, presence of mold)
check of the smell
consistency check
I only taste it if there are no signs of alteration

👉 When in doubt, it’s always best not to consume it.

Pay attention to storage conditions

The date shown on the packaging is especially valid if the food is stored correctly . Storage helps keep food fresh for longer and reduces the risk of premature spoilage.

hOn ‘s Food Locator feature can help you understand where each item should be stored in the refrigerator.

Reducing food waste starting with labels

If you often forget to put food in the refrigerator, you can use hOn ‘s digital pantry : enter the food items and their expiration dates, so you can always keep track of everything. Plus, you’ll receive notifications when a product is about to expire, helping you consume it on time and avoid unnecessary waste.

Learning to read labels correctly and keep track of expiration dates allows you to: