Discussion Post: Foods Past Their 'Best Before' Dates

Hello friends! Every now and then we'll be featuring blog posts which invite discussion on relevant subjects.

This week, we’ve added a Clearance section to our website: http://vegansupply.ca/collections/clearance

These are items that may have gone past their best before dates, but are arguably still perfectly fine. We’ve reduced the prices significantly as well.

Foods that come packaged in cans, jars, tetra paks and other sealed containers will also feature a best before date. This is rarely an 'expiration' date, but considered by the manufacturer (not a regulatory agency) the range of time the product will be most fresh and representative of their product. But this doesn't mean the food is 'bad' or 'spoiled' beyond that date.

We’re inviting a conversation on the topic, and would like to begin it with this recent John Oliver video where he discusses and reveals concerns with food waste and best before or expiry dates, and the issues behind them. Also, it's interesting to add that many food banks are happy to accept many products beyond the best before date (with the exception of baby food, meat and milk, and other ‘fresh’ products.)

What are your thoughts on the matter? How much weight do you give to best before dates? Would you, or do you eat items you find in the back of the cupboard that are past that date?

Join us in the conversation below!

- The Vegan Supply Team

[Edit: Added the cartoon from Bizarro.]