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The trick to figuring out how long your food can last in the fridge after the date on the package depends on what that date really means. Labels that says Best Before, Sell By And Use By all mean different things. Some of the labels just mean the company where you bought it, can't sell it after that date. If you know what each means and which foods can last past these dates, you can save yourself a lot of time and money!

The Foods That Can Last After Their Expiration Date Include:

• Sell by , allows the meat or dairy clerk know when to swap out stock. Only eat foods a few days past this date.
• Best before refers to quality and taste standards. The length of time that food is good after this date depends on the product.
• Use by is a hard-and-fast rule indicating that it is not safe to consume a product beyond the stated date.

It all depends on the type of food.

Meat

“Whether it's ground hamburger or a pound of steak, either eat it or freeze it within two days of purchase,” says Jackie Keller, a certified provider of food safety training for the County of Los Angeles Department of Health. “Even if the sell-by date is five days away, home refrigerators usually aren't cool enough to keep the meat fresh for more than two days,” says Keller. Any frozen ground meat should be used within three months; pork holds for six months; and beef, lamb, veal and venison last eight to 12 months, says Keller.

Baby Food and Infant Formula

“These usually have a use-by or expiration date,” says Keller. “That's because it's required by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for their nutritional value. The formula or baby food is guaranteed to contain a certain quantity of each nutrient described on the label only if consumed by that date. Do not buy or use baby formula or baby food after its use-by date—ever.

Finished!

Now that you know these tips and tricks you don't have to throw out all your food even if it is past that date on the package. Did you know about these guidelines?

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Article Source: Woman's Day