#foodwastefriday

Food for Thought: Best by, sell by and use by all mean different things

Welcome to #FoodWasteFriday!

Each Friday we’ll share a recipe, movie and resource that relate to the topic of food waste, and invite you to share with us how you’re using them! Making a leftover meal? We want to see it! Watching one of the films we suggest? Let us know! Used a resource that we shared? We want to hear what you think about it! #FoodWasteFriday on social media to tell us how YOU know more, waste less and eat well.

Social Media Posts

Know More. Waste Less. Eat Well.
#FoodWasteFriday

"Do you know the difference between "best by", "use by" and "sell by?"

Know More. Waste Less. Eat Well. #FoodWasteFriday

Ask an Expert

Sharon McDonald, MEd, RD, LDN, Penn State, Senior Extension Educator/Food Safety Specialist

Q: What should I look for on food packaging that can help me waste less?

A: Here is some info on the meaning of package dates. Basically, dating is really to indicate when products will be at their peak of quality. https://extension.psu.edu/label-date-marks-quality-or-food-safety and https://extension.psu.edu/date-marking-of-food-packages.

When shopping for more perishable items check the use by or best by date and purchase the one furthest out from when you want to use. For most items you can freeze them once you get home if you will not be able to use them. When storing food practice FIFO first in first out so when storing food in your pantry or fridge, be sure to put the recently purchased items to the back to be sure you use old items first.

Sharon McDonald is a Senior Extension Educator/Food Safety Specialist with Penn State Cooperative Extension. Sharon is based on the University Park Campus and provides food safety programs such as ServSafe, Cooking for Crowds: A Volunteer’s Guide to Safe Food Handling, Home Food Preservation and resources for consumers on safe food handling, to clients in Centre, Mifflin, Juniata and Clinton Counties. She is the Program Team Leader for the Retail, Foodservice and Consumer Food Safety and Quality Team. In this position she provides leadership for food safety programming in these areas throughout the state.

Sharon is also a registered dietitian and worked in the healthcare setting before joining Extension. She is a member of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences.