What do food date labels mean in the US?
For ordinary US foods, printed dates are generally about quality or inventory—not an automatic federal safety cutoff. Storage and handling still determine whether food is safe.
Common US date labels
Best If Used By, Best By and Best Before generally indicate when a product is expected to be at its best quality. Sell By is mainly for store inventory and display. Use By is generally a quality recommendation for ordinary US foods, not automatically a federal safety cutoff. Freeze By indicates when freezing is recommended for best quality.
A date alone does not prove that ordinary food is safe or unsafe. Product instructions, storage temperature and handling remain important.
The infant-formula exception
Infant formula is different: federal rules require a Use By date, and formula should not be used after that date. This exception does not turn every baby-food or ordinary-food date into a federal safety deadline.
Use the right next step
The checker has a supported US date-label flow for ordinary products and the infant-formula exception. If the food needs refrigeration, its storage and handling may matter more than the printed date alone.
Looking for UK guidance? Read our UK use-by vs best-before guide. For supported refrigerated leftovers, see US leftovers in the fridge guidance.
Use the checker for your situation
This page explains general US federal guidance. Check your food using the relevant supported situation.
Sources and scope
Last checked: September 13, 2026.
This resource is based on United States federal guidance for the situations described. It does not replace the checker’s questions or food-specific storage instructions.