Dr Ben Explains: Use-By vs Best Before Dates

Today I want to clear up something that causes a lot of confusion in the kitchen - those little labels on your food. You’ll usually see either a use-by date or a best before date. They may look similar, but they mean very different things.

A use-by date is there to protect your health. Foods with this label can become unsafe once the date has passed, even if they look or smell fine. That’s because harmful bacteria aren’t visible and don’t always change the smell or taste.

It’s risky to eat food after its use-by date. If you do, you could end up with food poisoning. That’s why you’ll see use-by dates on foods that spoil quickly, such as meat, fish, dairy products, and ready-to-eat salads.

👉 My tip: If you cook food on the day of its use-by date, you can safely keep it for up to 48 hours in the fridge, or freeze it for later. Just make sure you label it so you know what it is when you take it back out.

A best before date is different — it’s about food quality, not safety. After this date, food is usually still safe to eat, but it may lose flavour, freshness, or texture.

You’ll find best before dates on foods like frozen veg, pasta, rice, tins, and cheese.

👉 Here, you can use your senses. Bread may go stale, biscuits may soften, or dairy might sour — and that’s your signal. This is where the “sniff test” is useful.

Think of your freezer as a pause button. Freezing food before the use-by date stops bacteria from growing and helps you avoid waste. Just remember: once food is defrosted, the clock starts ticking again — you’ll need to cook and eat it within 24 hours.

To cut down on waste safely:

Check your fridge before shopping.

Plan meals around foods close to their use-by date.

Keep your fridge below 5°C.

Follow storage instructions carefully.

Here’s how you can easily memorize it:

Freeze or cook smartly. It buys you more time and reduces waste.

With just a little planning, you can protect your health, enjoy food at its best, and cut down on waste.

Dr Ben