PrepBest by, use by, sell by: what dates mean for food storage
By SGWNI. Checked on 2 November 2026.
Except for infant formula, dates on US food are about quality, not safety, and federal rules don’t require them. The USDA says a product should still be safe and wholesome after its date passes during home storage, if it’s been handled properly, until spoilage is evident. So a can past its “best by” date in your pantry is usually a quality question, not a reason to throw it out.
Our expiration date checker gives you the rule for a particular label and food.
What each phrase means
The USDA says there’s no uniform system for date labels in the US, which is why you see so many wordings.
| On the label | What it means | Is it a safety date? |
|---|---|---|
| Best if used by, or best before | When the product will be at its best flavor or quality | No |
| Sell by | How long the store should display it, for inventory | No |
| Use by | The last recommended date for peak quality | No, except on infant formula |
| Freeze by | When to freeze it to keep peak quality | No |
“Expiration date” isn’t one defined thing either. People use it for all of these. Some states require dates on certain foods, and the USDA notes that more than 20 do, so what you see can also vary by where you live.
The exception: infant formula
Federal rules require a use-by date on infant formula. Using it by that date ensures it contains each nutrient in the amount on the label, and that it will still pass through a bottle nipple. The USDA’s instruction is plain: don’t buy or use baby formula after its use-by date.
If you store formula for emergencies, it needs real rotation. Buy what your baby is using, and use the oldest first.
Canned goods and dry food
Canned food is the center of most home food storage, and it does well under these rules. The USDA’s guides for quality, from when you buy it:
- high-acid cans, such as tomatoes, fruit, juices and pickles: 12 to 18 months
- low-acid cans, such as meat, soup and vegetables: 2 to 5 years
- rice and dried pasta: 2 years
FoodKeeper adds that canned items will be safe to eat well past the use-by or best-by date as long as the can shows no dents, rust or swelling. The canned food shelf life look-up has more foods.
That doesn’t mean a can lasts forever. The USDA says commercial canning has limits. Cans can rust, and the food slowly reacts with the can, which over several years can change taste and texture and eventually lower nutritional value. High temperatures make it worse.
Many cans also carry a code rather than a date. Those letters and numbers show when the food was canned, for tracking and recalls. The USDA says they aren’t meant for you to read as a best-by date, so write your own purchase date on the can if you want to keep track.
When to throw it out, whatever the date
Cans. The USDA’s advice:
- discard bulging, swollen or leaking cans
- discard heavily rusted cans, which can have tiny holes. Surface rust you can rub off is not serious
- discard deeply dented cans, meaning a dent you can lay your finger into, and any can with a deep dent on a seam
- if a can hisses loudly or the contents spurt out when opened, don’t taste or use it
Anything else. Spoiled food develops an off odor, flavor or texture. If it has, don’t eat it. Handling matters as much as the date: the USDA’s reassurance is about food that’s been stored properly, so it doesn’t apply to perishable food left out of the refrigerator or food that’s been through a power outage.
Unsealed or damaged packaging. Keep boxed food in tightly closed plastic or metal containers, as Ready.gov suggests. If pests or moisture have gotten in, the date no longer tells you anything.
How to use this with a food supply
A date past due isn’t a reason to throw food away, but it is a reason to eat it soon. Food at its peak is nicer to eat in a hard week, and the CDC’s advice for emergency stores is to use and replace food before its expiration date.
The simplest system is to store what you normally eat and use the oldest first, which first in, first out explains.
When you count your supplies, be stricter than the rules. Our supplies calculator and the Prep app both count anything past its date as zero, so old stock can’t make your total look better than it is. The food may be perfectly good, but it’s safer not to plan around it.
Past-date food in good condition can also be donated. The USDA says food showing no signs of spoilage may be sold, purchased, donated and eaten after a “best if used by” date, though food banks will have their own rules.