Myth 1: Expiration Dates Are Government-Mandated Safety Guidelines
Here’s a shocking truth that’s draining your wallet: those “best by” dates stamped on most foods aren’t required by federal law and only infant formula has a government-mandated expiration date. Most people interpret food dates to be about safety, but for the vast majority of foods, those dates are really just about quality. The dates are set by food manufacturers to keep their products moving through store shelves and correlate with food quality, not food safety.
The USDA estimates that about 30 percent of our food supply is either lost or wasted at retail and consumer levels partly because of this confusion. Daily Meal estimates that some food may be good after expiration dates, anywhere from one week to one year after expiration. In fact, perishable products are usually safe to consume beyond their “best by” date if they’ve been handled and stored properly.
Myth 2: Food Automatically Becomes Unsafe After the Printed Date
There is no trigger mechanism that automatically makes food bad at a certain date and time. If the date passes during home storage, a product should still be safe and wholesome if handled properly until the time spoilage is evident through an off odor, flavor or texture. It’s not as if it’s going to explode in your refrigerator on the ‘use-by’ date.
The real key is using your senses rather than relying solely on dates. You will know when food has started to spoil by the unpleasant odor, flavor or texture from bacteria. If you wait long enough, most perishable goods will obviously spoil while shelf-stable goods will physically degrade – flavors and colors might fade, and old almonds won’t be overrun with bacteria but will taste off as their oils break down.
Myth 3: All Date Labels Mean the Same Thing
Date labels like “use by,” “best by,” and “expires on” don’t have official definitions. Sometimes it feels like every food label in the grocery store is different, and the language can be confusing because none of it seems consistent. It is every manufacturer for themselves when it comes to expiration dates, and this can make the comparison of like products tricky when examining them in the supermarket aisle.
There is no uniform or universally accepted system for food dating in the United States. Depending on which food you are buying, the date on the package could be a recommendation on when it should be sold by or when it should be eaten by, and confusion surrounding a date could mean throwing out perfectly good food. A patchwork of state and local laws, some contradicting each other and sending good food to the trash, govern date labels – in Montana, for example, milk must bear a “sell-by” date of 12 days post pasteurization, even though milk usually lasts longer.
Myth 4: Your Refrigerator Temperature Doesn’t Matter Much
Your refrigerator’s temperature is more critical than you might think for both safety and your grocery budget. The refrigerator should be kept at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and the freezer temperature should be zero degrees Fahrenheit. You should check temperatures periodically, and appliance thermometers are the best way of knowing these temperatures and are generally inexpensive.
To prevent unwanted freezing of foods, adjust refrigerator temperature between 34 and 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure your refrigerator is set at 4 degrees Celsius (40 degrees Fahrenheit) or lower and your freezer at -18 degrees Celsius (0 degrees Fahrenheit) or lower – this will keep your food out of the temperature danger zone between 4 and 60 degrees Celsius where bacteria can grow quickly. The longer foods are stored in the refrigerator, the more chance Listeria can grow, especially if the refrigerator temperature is above 40 degrees Fahrenheit.
Myth 5: Freezer Burn Makes Food Unsafe to Eat
If your food becomes freezer burned, that doesn’t mean it’s unsafe to eat – simply cut the freezer-burned portions away before you cook the food. You should be aware of the difference between freezer burn and food that is just approaching its expiration date – freezer burn is caused by air getting into your food after it has been frozen, while just-about-to-expire food has been thawed out and then refrozen at some point.
The best way to avoid freezer burn is to wrap your food tightly in plastic or foil and store it in an airtight container, and keep the temperature of your freezer as low as possible, which slows down the rate at which moisture leaves your food. Foods stored in freezers will still lose color, texture, flavor, and nutritional quality, but they will not cause foodborne illness. Only the quality suffers with lengthy freezer storage.
Myth 6: Frozen Foods Don’t Last as Long as Fresh Foods
The guidelines for freezer storage are for quality only—frozen foods stored continuously at 0°F or below can be kept indefinitely. Frozen foods remain safe indefinitely. Freezing preserves food for extended periods because it prevents the growth of microorganisms that cause both food spoilage and foodborne illness, and freezing to 0 degrees Fahrenheit inactivates any microbes present in food.
Despite the common perception that fresh fruit and vegetables are healthier, the opposite is quite often the case – frozen fruit and vegetables are frozen at the peak of ripeness, and the cells hardly break down meaning they often contain more vitamins and minerals than fresh produce which can lose precious nutrients on the way to your plate. Storing foods in the freezer is a great way to maintain their quality, freshness and nutritional value, and the recommended freezer temperature will keep food safe to eat indefinitely.
Myth 7: You Can’t Refreeze Thawed Food
Once food is thawed in the refrigerator, it is safe to refreeze it without cooking, although there may be a loss of quality due to moisture lost through thawing, and after cooking raw foods which were previously frozen, it is safe to freeze the cooked foods. If previously cooked foods are thawed in the refrigerator, you may refreeze the unused portion.
If food is partly frozen, still has ice crystals, or is as cold as if it were in a refrigerator (40 degrees Fahrenheit), it is safe to refreeze or use. If meats have completely thawed but are below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, they may be refrozen without cooking as long as each package is inspected for no off color or odors that might indicate spoilage, and casseroles or vegetables should be refrozen only if ice crystals are still present. Do not refreeze any foods left outside the refrigerator longer than 2 hours, or 1 hour in temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
Myth 8: Storing Food in the Fridge Door is Fine
Don’t store perishable foods in the door – eggs should be stored in the carton on a shelf because the temperature of the storage bins in the door fluctuate more than the temperature in the cabinet. It is not recommended to store perishable foods in the door since those temperatures vary more than the main compartment.
Store eggs in their carton in the refrigerator itself rather than on the door, where the temperature is warmer. Eggs should be stored in their carton in the refrigerator itself rather than on the door, where the temperature is warmer. Keep the door closed as much as possible to maintain consistent temperatures throughout the refrigerator.
Myth 9: Food Storage Doesn’t Impact Your Wallet Significantly
Americans waste more than $408 billion each year on food, with dairy products being the food item we toss out the most, and the average American family of four throws out $1,600 a year in produce. Multiply that by the typical 18 years that a child lives at home and you could easily pay for a year’s worth of tuition at any number of America’s private colleges or universities.
The total cost of food loss and waste for the global economy is estimated at roughly one trillion US dollars. Reducing food waste can actually save time and money in the long run – meal planning and proper food storage help avoid last-minute grocery runs and wasted ingredients, and by using what you already have, you’ll spend less overall while making the most of your groceries. Sometimes you may pay a higher per unit price for a grocery item in the name of reducing waste, but is buying the big container really a bargain if you end up tossing unused portions?
