California's New Food Date Labels: What They Mean
Ever wondered what “Best if Used By” and “Use By” really mean? Starting July 1, 2026, California has standardized food date labels to make them easier to understand, helping reduce confusion and unnecessary food waste.
Understanding California's New Food Date Labels
Quality Dates
- BEST if Used by
- BEST if Used or Frozen by
- Indicates peak freshness (quality)
It tells you when the food is expected to be at its best flavor or texture. A product may still be safe to eat after this date if it has been stored properly.
Safety Dates
- USE by
- USE by or Freeze by
- Indicates when a food should no longer be eaten (or should be frozen by that date if freezing is an option).
What Happened to "Sell By" Dates
California no longer allows consumer-facing Sell By dates on most packaged foods because they were intended for retailers, not shoppers, and often caused confusion.
What This Doesn't Mean
The new labels are designed to make food dates easier to understand, but they don’t replace safe food handling.
- Follow package storage instructions and refrigerate or freeze foods as directed.
- If food shows signs of spoilage or you’re unsure whether it’s safe, don’t eat it.
- If your community has organics or food scrap collection, place spoiled or unwanted food in your organics cart whenever possible instead of the trash.
- Recycle empty food packaging when accepted in your local recycling program. If it isn’t recyclable, dispose of it in the trash.
- Always follow local guidelines for recycling and organics collection.
Why This Matters
Food waste is one of the largest sources of waste sent to California landfills. Standardized labels help reduce confusion so perfectly good food isn’t discarded simply because of unclear wording on the package.
Food safety comes first. Standardized labels help reduce confusion, but they don’t replace safe food handling. Always follow storage instructions, and if food appears spoiled or you’re unsure it’s safe, don’t eat it.
Want to learn more?
For complete information about California’s standardized food date labels, visit the California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Food Date Labeling page.