Food Safety & Expiration Dates

Food safety education benefits everyone, so here's a quick lesson! You've probably been in this situation before … you're cleaning out your cabinets or fridge and you find some salad dressing dated June … and it's July! Do you toss it or toss a salad?

THE BARN sells plenty of food within date codes and some foods (like dry groceries), which are at or just past the "Best by" or "Sell by" date on the package. Rest assured – we guarantee product quality, and our store respects and follows the advice of inspectors that visit us and all other food markets. Remember, we guarantee everything we sell, and we have been open for 15+ years, so our reputation depends on it!

If you prefer to only buy items within date, go right ahead, as only some items are past date. No meats, fish, or milk is ever sold past the date, and all items are labeled, so the choice is yours. If you want another vote of confidence, see these links for other websites that talk about food safety and expiration dates.

USDA: Food Safety Fact Sheets

Says: "Except for infant formula, dates are not an indicator of the product's safety and are not required by Federal law."

Link: https://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/food-labeling/food-product-dating/food-product-dating

Consumer Reports: Is expired food safe to eat?

Says: "Confusion over date labels leads Americans to toss groceries that are still good."

Link: http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2015/10/is-expired-food-safe-to-eat/index.htm

Web MD: Do Food Expiration Dates Matter?

Says: "The "sell by" date is the last day the item is at its highest level of quality, but it will still be edible for some time after."

Link: http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/do-food-expiration-dates-matter#1

Still Tasty: Expiration Dates – Should you pay attention?

Says: "The dates on food labels can be confusing. The truth is, they often have nothing to do with food safety."

Link: http://www.stilltasty.com/articles/view/5

Blog posting: Why Expiration Dates Mean Nothing

Says: "Those labels describe food quality and have nothing to do with food safety."

Link: http://lifehacker.com/why-expiration-dates-on-your-food-mean-nothing-1755569296