The date stamped on your food tells you if it’s safe to eat, right?

Wrong.  It artificially creates consumer haste to sell more product.

Here’s the secret to the (food) dating game: Those “best by,” “sell by,” and “use by” dates that you see on food have nothing to do with food safety. They’re set by manufacturers, without federal oversight, and most often relate to what manufacturers feel is “peak” quality. The vast majority of consumers don’t realize this, and as a result, good food ends up in the trash.

Overhauling our date labeling system is a straightforward, concrete solution that will reduce food waste. We need a reliable, coherent, and uniform food dating system that provides useful guidance to consumers. The words on date labels should have a standard definition across the country and across products. Labels should clearly differentiate between safety-based and quality-based dates. Manufacturers and retailers should have their own, coded system for sharing information relevant to food display and shelf life, rather than a “sell by” date that confuses consumers.