Everything You Need To Know About Sell-By Dates, Almost

OK, this piece in the Wall Street Journal doesn’t really tell you all you need to know about sell-by dates, but it’s fairly informative. It tells us, for example, that most sell-by dates are set by manufacturers to let us know when food is at its “peak quality,” not when it’s dangerous to eat. Will you get sick if you eat food that’s past it’s sell-by date? Probably not, but it does depend on the food. The Journal piece includes a helpful five-panel infographic about the safety of eating five foods after their sell-by date. Here we go. Eggs: edible for at least 12 weeks. Milk: if refrigerated at 40 degrees, should last a week after being opened. Just smell it. Bread: depends on the amount of preservatives. Look for mold. Canned goods: Get rid of them after two years. Packaged greens: Will wilt in days, but can still be eaten after being sauteed or used in soup.