Best before vs use by: what the dates mean and why storage matters
Last reviewed 24 October 2026 · 4 min read
Quick checklist
Quick checklist
0 of 6 doneBest before vs use by: the short version
Use by appears on food that goes off quickly, such as meat and ready-to-eat salads. It is a safety date. Eating food after its use-by date could make you ill, even if it looks and smells fine. The only exception is food you cooked or froze on or before that date.
Best before appears on tinned, dried and frozen foods, and many others. It is a quality date. After it, the food may be a little less good but is usually still safe. You can check it by sight, taste and smell.
Our guide to how long tinned food lasts goes further on the tins and packets in an emergency cupboard.
Why the storage instructions matter as much as the date
The date only holds if the food is stored as the label says. A packet that says "keep in a cool, dry place" will not last as well in a warm, steamy kitchen. A jar that says "once opened, keep in the fridge" needs the fridge as soon as you open it.
Look for three things on the label:
- Before opening: where to keep it.
- After opening: whether it needs the fridge and how many days it keeps. This is often printed near the lid or the date.
- Freezing: whether you can freeze it, and whether to freeze it before the use-by date.
What to do with each kind of date
| What you have | What the date means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh meat, fish, ready-to-eat salad (use by) | Safety | Eat, cook or freeze on or before the date |
| Cooked food from the fridge | Safety | Cool it, keep it in the fridge and eat it within 48 hours, or freeze it |
| Tins, pasta, rice, oats (best before) | Quality | Usually fine after the date; check the pack or tin first |
| Frozen food (best before) | Quality | Keep it frozen, and follow the label once defrosted |
Opened food that needs refrigeration should be kept at 5°C or below.
How this affects your emergency cupboard
A cupboard of long-life food is mostly best-before food, so the dates are a guide to quality. Check each item when you rotate stock.
- Tins: look for bulges, leaks or deep dents. If a tin looks damaged, do not use it.
- Packets and jars: check for damp, a broken seal or a stale smell.
- Anything with use by: treat that date as firm. Eat it first.
Our guide to a food rotation system and our post on how to organise a pantry show a simple way to keep the oldest food at the front. Our guide to emergency food that does not need cooking shows what to stock.
Do this today (free)
- Pick one cupboard shelf.
- Take everything off and read the dates and storage notes.
- Put the oldest food at the front.
- Eat anything that is close to its date this week.
If you have £10, £25 or £50
These are budgets, not quotes. Prices change, so check the current price first.
- About £10: a pack of date-label stickers (Retailer link coming soon), so you can write an opened date on jars and packets.
- About £25: add a few stackable clear pantry containers (Retailer link coming soon) for dry food, with the date label kept on the lid.
- About £50: add a pantry inventory notebook (Retailer link coming soon) and enough containers for your main staples.
Questions people ask
Is it safe to eat food after the best before date?
Often, yes. Best before relates to quality, not safety, and applies to tins, dried foods and frozen foods. Check the packaging is undamaged and judge the food by sight, taste and smell. If it looks, smells or tastes wrong, do not eat it.
Can I eat food after the use by date?
No. A use-by date is a safety date, and eating food after it could make you ill, even if it looks and smells normal. The exception is food you cooked or froze on or before the date, which you can keep and then use as advised.
What does "once opened, use within three days" mean?
It means you should use the food within that time once opened, stored as the label says, usually in the fridge. Count from the day you opened it, and write that date on the pack so you can see it at a glance.
Do tins have a use by date?
Tins normally carry a best before date, which is about quality. A tin in good condition is usually fine after that date. Do not use a tin that is bulging, leaking or badly dented. Our guide to how long tinned food lasts has more.
Sources and further reading
Sources
firesidefolk.com/food-and-store-cupboard/best-before-vs-use-by · Last reviewed 24 October 2026 · Fireside Folk