Food labels can be confusing sometimes. 

With terms like “Best By”, “Sell By”, and “Use By” on the package, it can be hard to tell which package is still good and which needs to be thrown away. 

If food has an odor, appears moldy, or has other cues that make you unsure, you should always throw it away to stay safe. 

While there are no uniform or universally accepted descriptions used on food labels for open dating in the United States, here are some descriptions of common terms:

• A "Best if Used By/Before" date indicates when a product will be of best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date. 

• A "Sell-By" date tells the store how long to display the product for sale for inventory management. It is not a safety date. 

• A “Use-By" date is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. It is not a safety date except for when used on infant formula as described below. 

• A “Freeze-By” date indicates when a product should be frozen to maintain peak quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.

Adapted from The USDA’s “Safe Food Handling and Preparation Food Product Dating”