SaskWatch Newsletter

Consumer Association of Saskatchewan Inc.

Understanding Best Before Dates

Understanding the different dates on food labels can help consumers decide what to buy, when to eat it, and how to manage grocery costs. Food labels are often misunderstood, which can lead to unnecessary food waste and higher grocery bills. Learning what these dates mean can help consumers make better decisions about food quality and freshness.

One commonly misunderstood label is the “best before” date. Many people mistake it for an expiry date and may throw food away once the date has passed because they are concerned about its safety. However, a best before date is mainly about food quality, not food safety.

Best before dates are required on certain foods with a shelf life of 90 days or less. They can be found on many foods throughout the grocery store. A best before date tells consumers how long a food is expected to maintain its freshness, taste, nutritional value, and other qualities when it is stored properly and remains unopened. (1)

Food may still be safe to eat after its best before date if it has been stored properly. However, its quality may change over time. The best before date does not guarantee that food will be safe or unsafe after that date. Instead, it provides information about the expected freshness and quality of the product. Consumers should also consider how the food has been stored and whether there are signs that it has spoiled.

The words “best before” or “meilleur avant” may appear anywhere on the package. The date is generally written in the order of year, month, and day. The year may be left out when the date is within the same calendar year. (2)

Why Are Best Before Dates Used?

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) explains that best before dates have been part of Canadian food labelling practices for more than 20 years.

They are used by the food industry to help manage stock, rotate products, and communicate the expected quality and freshness of food. (3)

Best before dates can:

• Help consumers understand a food’s freshness.
• Help consumers make informed purchasing decisions.
• Help retailers rotate their stock.
• Help food companies manage their products.
• Support product traceability and recalls.

Best before dates: quality, not safety

There’s a common misconception that food should not be eaten once its best before date has passed. In fact, best before dates are about food quality, not food safety. They indicate when an unopened product is expected to be at its peak for freshness, flavour, texture and nutritional value when stored properly.

An unopened product may still be perfectly good to eat days or even weeks after its best before date. However, its quality may decline over time. For example, it may lose flavour, change in texture or contain less of certain nutrients, such as vitamin C in juice. Best before dates apply to unopened products; once opened, the food’s shelf life may change.

When deciding whether to eat food past its best before date, use your judgement. Check the package for damage and the food for obvious signs of spoilage, such as mould, an unusual appearance or an off odour. If the food looks or smells spoiled, when in doubt, throw it out. However, remember that harmful microorganisms can grow without changing a food’s appearance, smell or taste. Some foods can become unsafe before obvious spoilage occurs, so proper storage, handling and following safe food storage guidelines remain essential. (4)

Using food after its best before date when it has been properly stored and remains suitable can help reduce unnecessary food waste. Foods such as canned goods and dried pasta may also carry best before dates, although these dates are not required for all foods. (5)

Why do consumers misunderstand consumer dates?

For many consumers, a best before date has become a simple signal: if the date has passed, the food is unsafe and should be thrown away. The distinction may seem small between the various Canadian food date labels, but it can have significant consequences if misunderstood. When consumers interpret a best before date as a safety deadline, perfectly edible food can be discarded simply because the date on the package has passed. Research from Dalhousie University suggests that many Canadians rely heavily on date labels when deciding whether food is safe to eat, contributing to unnecessary household food waste. (6)

The scale of the problem is substantial. Second Harvest has reported that billions of dollars’ worth of food is lost or wasted in Canada, with confusion and inconsistent practices around best before dates contributing to premature disposal (7).

At the household level, the National Zero Waste Council has estimated that 63% of food discarded by Canadian households is avoidable, meaning it was edible at some point before being thrown away. For the average household, this avoidable food waste amounts to approximately 4.5 meals per week, equivalent to about $1,300 worth of food each year. Across Canada, this adds up to approximately 2.3 million tonnes of avoidable household food waste annually.

Sophie Langlois-Blouin, Vice-President of RECYC Québec, emphasizes that food loss and waste occur throughout the entire food chain, from production to the consumer. While distribution, processing and retail all play a role, she notes that food waste is a broader issue that requires collective action. Every sector has a role to play in reducing food loss and waste in Canada, from producers and retailers to consumers and households. (8)

Sources:

1. Canadian Food Inspection Agency. (2023, April 25). Understanding the dates on our food. Government of Canada. https://inspection.canada.ca/en/inspect-and-protect/food-safety/understanding-dates-on-our-food [canada.ca]
2. Canadian Food Inspection Agency. (2026, March 25). Best before, expiration and more: Understanding the date labels on your food. Government of Canada. https://inspection.canada.ca/en/food-labels/labelling/consumers/date-labels-food [canada.ca]
3. Canadian Food Inspection Agency. (2024, March 14). What’s the tea on best-before dates: 6 ways they help you at home and while shopping. Government of Canada. https://inspection.canada.ca/en/inspect-and-protect/food-safety/best-dates
4. Canadian Food Inspection Agency. (2023, November 15). Three facts about best before dates that can save you money. Government of Canada. https://inspection.canada.ca/en/inspect-and-protect/food-safety/three-facts-about-best-dates-can-save
5. Natali, N., & Charlebois, S. (2026). The cost of confusion: How label knowledge and risk attitude shape household food waste. Resources, Conservation & Recycling Advances, 29, 200300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rcradv.2025.200300
6. Bamford, A. (2026, May 17). Here’s why best before dates are costing Canadians billions in avoidable food waste. CTV News.
   https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/article/heres-why-best-before-dates-are-costing-canadians-billions-in-avoidable-food-waste/
7. Canadian Food Inspection Agency. (2026, March 25). Best before, expiration and more: Understanding the date labels on your food. Government of Canada. https://inspection.canada.ca/en/food-labels/labelling/consumers/date-labels-food [canada.ca]
8. Ibid.