Before you toss that container of food - Are you sure it's bad?

Food Labeling - What does it mean?  "Best By", "Sell By", "Enjoy By" and "Use By"....they sound simple enough, but in truth the timelines are not well understood and are not regulated consistently.  A recent report from Harvard and the Natural Resources Defense Council - Called The Dating Game:  How Confusing Food Date Labels Lead to Food Waste in America, found that some changes to the system could prevent a lot of food from being trashed, and provide food to some who would be going hungry otherwise.  

As our food system changed from a farm system in the 1940's to a highly processed system now, each state has adopted different policies for these confusing little labels.  What is required in California is different, than the regulations in the next state over. 

Because of the lack of regulation, most of the labels indicate how the food will taste in it's prime freshness, but most people think the food is no longer safe to eat after that date.   Think about it from a producer standpoint - they want you to have the best crunch for your chip, or correct chewiness for your cookie.

But the flip side of this, is that edible food is being tossed and or donated... when it is still perfectly safe to eat, because it is no longer at the freshness level the producer has determined is ideal.

In fact food waste is such a problem, that former Trader Joe's President Bill Rauch, is opening a market in Massachusetts,  by taking perfectly edible produce slightly past its sell-by date that ends up in the trash, and repurposing it into deeply discounted meals.  His place is going to be priced to sell meals that would compete with a fast food restaurant.

It is estimated that American's toss about 40% of all food that is produced in our nation.  Some is at the store level, but part of this is because we look at those labels, and say, "oh, darn this is bad."  But is it?  Maybe it just isn't as fresh as the producer wants us to experience.  It might be perfectly edible.
 
Please note - I am NOT suggesting you ingest dairy, seafood or other highly perishable items after their expiration date.  But that box of cookies that is 3 days past their prime, might be just fine.   How you can make less food waste?   Before you toss, think about what the label is on, how it has been stored, and what your common sense tells you.

Here's to less food waste in our One Big Bin!