Friday, September 20, 2013

Confusing "sell-by and best-by" Dates

Use by. Sell by. Doesn’t help us get by.

1.    http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/use-by-sell-by-doesnt-help-us-get-by/2013/09/16/3fa30b4a-1a64-11e3-8685-5021e0c41964_story.html

2. Category of issue: Health and Food

3. Level: National

4. This article discusses the problems that sell-by and best-by labeling can cause for individuals and families.
 
5. How does this affect individuals/families?
 - This a very confusing topic for many people. Naturally, people want to be safe and not eat anything that could be potentially harmful to our bodies. The dates that are on edible products coming from the grocery store need to be more accurately worded or removed so that we, as a nation, can lower levels of food waste.

6. My Views
 - Personally, I can not stand to eat anything much more than a few days after the best-by date has passed. I am constantly throwing out of a half a loaf of bread or a 3/4 of a gallon of milk. I always look at the date in the store before buying my food as well. I have noticed recently that the date labels on things like bread, barely give you a week before it is "no good". It has gotten to be ridiculous. I agree with the article when it says that the dates are more for the store rather than the shopper. But they either need to remove the labels or explain them better. The food waste average in the U.S. is at an outrageous level. Every year a family of 4 wastes about $1,560 dollars by throwing out perfectly good food. This money could be used toward so many things. If we could lower the amount that is wasted every year people would have much more money to put towards other things. It is not only costing consumers, but manufacturers as well. I believe instead of putting best-by or sell-by labels on products it would be helpful to have a guaranteed-by or even best quality by date. Not many of us have money to just be throwing away and that is what we seem to be doing.  

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