April 13, 2025

Greetings!

Did you know those "sell by" dates on your groceries? They're probably making you toss out perfectly edible food! A recent study revealed something pretty shocking: most of us think those dates mean the food is unsafe after that day. Turns out, that's not really true.

Emily Broad Leib, the study's lead author, explained that these dates are often chosen by manufacturers to protect their brand's quality, not because the food suddenly becomes dangerous. In fact, think about this: we're wasting a mind-blowing 160 billion tons of food every year because of this misunderstanding!

Be Well,
Anisa

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Why We're Wasting So Much:

- Misunderstood Dates: Most consumers believe “sell by” or “best by” means “unsafe after.”

- Manufacturer Priorities: Dates prioritize brand quality, not necessarily safety.

- Lack of Regulation: Food date labeling is poorly regulated, leading to confusion.

Simple Steps to Reduce Waste (and Save Money!):

- Trust Your Senses: Look and smell your food before tossing it.
- Educate Yourself: Learn the real meaning of different food date labels.
- Plan Your Meals: Buy only what you need to avoid excess food.
- Proper Storage: Store food correctly to extend its freshness.

In Closing

This isn't just about saving money; it's about reducing waste and helping the environment.

Let's all try to be a bit more mindful about our food and stop throwing away perfectly good meals.

What do you think?

I had milk that was 2 weeks past it's "expiration" date and it was perfectly fine!

Have you been surprised by food staying good past its date? Let me know by replying to this email.

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