Expiry dates

**spot** · 05-15-2010, 08:28 AM

I've seen the following on various food items:

Packaged on date
Sell by date
Best before date
Use before date

There seems to be no legal requirement for any of these labels on food in general in the USA. In the UK there's government discussion on changing what's legally required.

Does anyone here buy food which has no indication of expiry date? Does anyone buy food that's marked down for a quick sale because its expiry date is imminent? Does the type of food make a difference?

**frugalwarrior2** · 05-15-2010, 08:39 AM

I buy foods w/ looming expiration dates all the time. Big Lot has a cart at the front w/ mark downs. Also grocery store tags on meat which I use right away and freeze. I buy day oldbake goods and bread.
All food is supposed to have Exp. dates now. I don't buy it if it doesn't.

We have 2 teens and many more that hang. I can't imagine paying full price. My favorite is buying deep clearanced goods and having a coupon to make it FREE or very close.

**kittykatstrong** · 05-15-2010, 10:43 AM

I will buy things close to expiration dates if it is at a deep discount.

Yesterday I had to throw away a box of pasta that had expired in 2007. I had gotten it from the food shelf. I will eat old food sometimes but that seemed super old to me.