Here’s why I’m taking best before dates with a grain of salt

We signed up for a Costco membership several years ago – for one year – and I used to make this quip about the savings: We used to spend $120 dollars on food to fill our organics green bin. With Costco, we can fill the bin for just $80.

It’s a joke! But there was an element of truth to it. We often allowed our food to expire, then tossed it based solely on the date on the packaging.

These days I’m trying to be a better person, and saving money on wasteful habits is a big part of this transition. So, I’m now looking at the best before dates applied to most food packaging as more of a guideline, often to be ignored.

I say this as I nibble on a snack of tortilla chips dipped in store-bought hummus with Aug. 27 stamped on the plastic lid – meaning that the hummus “expired” nearly two weeks ago. If I don’t finish the article, you’ll know this was a bad decision.

But if I do finish the article? The savings are all mine, and the world has one less tub of expired hummus to deal with.

I’m not advocating extreme frugality here or taking what I see as unnecessary risks with my health. I’m merely basing my behaviour – loosely – on advice that I’ve been picking up over the years from consumers and articles.

I consume things like eggs, yogurt and milk several days beyond their best before dates, if they look okay. Same goes with leftover meals in my fridge. If frozen food remains frozen, it’s probably okay.

If something smells funky, I toss it. My track record: zero food poisoning episodes.

According to Second Harvest, the food rescue organization, Canadians produce more than 8.8 million metric tonnes of what it calls “avoidable food waste” each year, which is especially alarming when you consider widespread concerns over the rising cost of groceries.

Some 23 per cent of this waste comes from date-coding, where we toss expired products based on best before dates. This waste is valued at more than $12-billion a year.

To be clear, the experts are not suggesting you must accept my invitation to share my hummus. But for shelf-stable products, which can be safely stored at room temperature for long periods, there may be more wiggle room.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency notes that a best before date is not the same as an expiration date: “You can buy and eat foods after the best before date has passed,” the agency says on its website.

“However, after this date has passed, the food may lose some of its freshness, flavour and nutritional value. Its texture may have also changed. For example, vitamin C content in juice may decrease after the best before date.”

Similarly, dates attached to frozen food are not necessarily reminders to toss that bag of frozen peas. According to the U.S. Department of Health, food stored continuously at -18 degrees Celsius or below can be kept indefinitely.

I know the days are numbered for my hummus, but so far so good. What’s your approach to best before dates? Let me know at dberman@globeandmail.com.

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