We’ve all done it — grabbed a tub of yoghurt, seen the date on the lid, and tossed it without a second thought. But here’s the truth: much of that food past its best before is perfectly safe to eat. In fact, more than a third of New Zealanders (37%) misinterpret at least one of the two main date labels.
This confusion means tonnes of good food and plenty of hard-earned dollars are wasted every year.
Love Food Hate Waste NZ’s Great Date Debate campaign is here to settle the score. The golden rule is simple, "use by" dates are about safety — they’re the deadline. Food should never be eaten after that date. "Best before" dates, on the other hand, are about quality — think of it as a guideline. Food is still safe to eat after this date as long as it’s been stored properly. It might not be quite as fresh or crisp, but that doesn’t mean it belongs in the bin.
Instead of relying only on the label, try the three-step test: check it, smell it, taste it. If it looks fine, smells fine and tastes as it should, then it’s fine to eat or drink.
Take dairy as an example. Milk is one of the most common things to get chucked out the morning after its best before date, yet if it’s been stored cold and sealed, it’s often good for days past the date. Pour a little into a glass, check it for any separation and curdled bits, give it a sniff to identify any sourness, if it’s all looking and smelling fresh, try a small sip and taste it. If it passes the test, carry on, enjoy it in your breakfast, smoothie, or coffee. Even milk that’s starting to turn can be transformed into pancakes and used in baking.
Yoghurt and cheese? Often still delicious well beyond the date. And instead of throwing them out, use them up. That yoghurt can be whipped into a marinade or turned into simple home-made pizza dough. Sour cream edging past its best before? It’s perfect for rich, flaky pastry, tender scones, or stirred into a hearty Mushroom and Lentil Stroganoff. Cheese nearing its best before? Grate and freeze it for a future pasta bake, pizza night, or sprinkle into toasties. These small kitchen saves add up to big wins for your wallet.
"Use by" dates are different, they’re not negotiable. But you can still avoid waste. If you’ve got fresh meat, deli meats, or fish you won’t get to in time, freeze it before the date. Freezing hits pause, keeping it safe until you’re ready. Just defrost in the fridge and eat within 24 hours.
The Great Date Debate is about more than labels — it’s about building confidence and changing habits. How well do you know your dates? Put your knowledge to the test and take on the Great Date Debate Quiz at https://lovefoodhatewaste.co.nz/great-date-debate/ and be in to win one of fifteen $100 vouchers.
When you understand the difference between "use by" and "best before," you save money, cut waste and help the planet. So next time you hesitate over a yoghurt, block of cheese, or a bag of rice, don’t just read the date — check it, smell it, taste it. Chances are, it’s perfectly good to eat. Head to @lovefoodhatewastenz on Facebook and Instagram for more on the Great Date Debate!
Mushroom and lentil stroganoff
Ingredients
2 Tbsp oil
1 onion, diced
400g mushrooms, sliced
1 yellow capsicum, diced
2 Tbsp butter (30g)
4 garlic cloves, sliced
2 Tbsp plain flour
1 can brown lentils, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1 vegetable stock cube dissolved in 1 cup hot water
Salt and pepper
½ cup sour cream
Optional garnish: chopped parsley
Method
1. Place a large frying pan on medium high heat. Once hot, add oil and onions. Fry onions for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally to cook evenly.
2. Add the mushrooms and capsicum and fry for 7 to 10 minutes until mushrooms are golden, stirring occasionally to cook evenly.
3. Add the butter, garlic and paprika and cook for two minutes until fragrant.
4. Stir in flour, lentils, Dijon mustard, Worcestershire sauce and vegetable stock. Bring to a simmer. Simmer for five minutes, stirring occasionally until the sauce is thick.
5. Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in the sour cream until completely incorporated.
6. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve on your choice of pasta, mashed potatoes or rice.
Tips
Leftovers can be eaten for lunch the next day, used as a pie filling, or frozen.
