The Smell Test: Are You Wasting Money Because of Expired Food? Maybe You Don't Have To

Food waste is a huge, expensive problem in America. According to the nonprofit Feeding America, we waste 119 billion pounds of food per year in this country. The USDA calculates that 30% to 40% of the food supply is wasted. These are staggering figures, and this reflects a tragedy in several ways. Some Americans don't get enough to eat, period -- and even if you do, the chances are still good that you'd like to save more money on food.

Food waste can hit you right in the wallet, and since food costs have been up thanks to inflation, it's worth doing what you can to eat more of what you buy. To that end, let's talk about expiration dates and how they can lead to food waste.

What do expiration dates actually mean?

Well, for starters, to call them "expiration dates" is inaccurate, because in most cases, they don't indicate when a food item has expired. According to the USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service, no food product is actually required to bear a date under federal law, except for infant formula (which requires a "use by" date). So these dates aren't applied to food to comply with laws. Rather, they indicate the time of supposed best quality for a given food, for the benefit of retailers and consumers like you and me.

Adding to the confusion over what the dates mean, there are also several types of labels you might see on food packages. These include:

• "Best By"/"Best If Used By": This could tell you when the food will be at its best flavor.
• "Sell By": This one tells a store how long to keep the food on the shelf for purchase.
• "Use By": Remember, this one is only required for infant formula. For other food, it's there to give you an idea of the peak quality for the item.
• "Freeze By": This one tells you when a food should be frozen to preserve its quality.

None of these labels have to do with safety, and if you have food in your kitchen that has passed these dates, it doesn't mean you should automatically rush to throw it out (and absorb the hit to your checking account that comes from buying food you don't actually eat).

How can you mitigate food waste in your own kitchen?

The good news is that there's so much you can do to ensure you're not wasting food due to somewhat arbitrary and often inaccurate printed dates. I hate throwing away food, so I've gotten pretty good at applying these tips in my own kitchen.

Employ the smell test

Don't assume dairy products have gone bad based on the date. Crack open the lid on that milk and give it a sniff. If it smells okay, it likely is. Trust me, milk that is going sour will smell and taste different. If you have a cold or your sense of smell is otherwise compromised, employ a friend or family member to double-check your smell test results.

Rely on other ways to tell whether food has gone bad

For example, eggs that have gone bad will float if you put them in a bowl of water. If that cheese hasn't grown mold, it's probably fine (though be careful with the pre-shredded stuff). If your deli meat has a slimy film, toss it. If the food in question is noticeably discolored, think twice about eating it.

Keep an eye on the calendar and the temperature

One type of food that's worth being extra careful with is leftovers of all kinds. If it's already been cooked, partially consumed, and then saved, you run a greater risk of nasty bacteria taking over, because that food has been in "the danger zone" (between 40 and 140 degrees F, which is the optimum temperature for bacteria to multiply) for a period of time already. My rule of thumb is three days in the refrigerator, max. If I need more time, I might elect to stick the item in the freezer.

Reheat leftovers thoroughly

Take the extra bit of time and care to reheat your leftover food in such a way that any bacteria is killed off in the process. If you use the microwave, I recommend reheating in short bursts (30 seconds to a minute) and stirring in between. You want to bring food back up to at least 165 degrees F. A food thermometer is worth the small outlay of money.

Keep track of what you have

It's a good idea to make a regular inventory of your fridge, freezer, and pantry. I love the challenge of using up food before it goes bad, and keeping track of what's in the house keeps me from throwing food out as well as buying more of the same item I already have.

Try a food app

There are apps out there that connect you to services that sell food that would otherwise be tossed out. You get to save money on the food and help mitigate food waste. Win win!

Be part of the solution to food waste, not the problem. To that end, employ your senses to decide whether food is still okay to eat -- but if you have any doubt, throw it out. It's not worth getting sick to save a few bucks. (Do the smell test first, though.)