Expiration Date Glossary

Except for that of some baby foods, product dating isn’t federally regulated, and it tends to be inconsistent. So demystify the dating dilemma with this label decoder

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“Use By” Date: When an item will pass its peak in quality, according to the manufacturer. If stored properly, most foods can be consumed a day after this date — some even longer.

Date Only: For example, “SEPT 12.” Usually means the same as the “use by” date.

“Sell By” Date: Manufacturers recommend that stores move a product by this day. Don’t buy food with a date that has come and gone. If you already have such a product, eat it within one to two days (again, some foods will last longer).

Coded Dates: The alphanumeric hodgepodge on a container is a code the manufacturer uses for tracking. But if you look closely, some conceal a date: A common system assigns a letter to the month (A = January) and a number to the year (8 = 2008) that the item was packaged. The rest of the sequence signals the location of the packing facility, which is usually useful to know only if the product is recalled.