Understanding Food Use-By and Best-Before Dates in Grand Rapids, MI

In Grand Rapids, Michigan, where we experience warm, humid summers and long, cold winters, safe food storage is especially important. Temperature changes during shopping and transport can affect how long food stays fresh and safe to eat. Knowing the difference between use-by and best-before dates helps protect your family from foodborne illness and reduce food waste.

Most packaged foods with a shelf life of less than 2 years must have either a best-before or use-by date printed on the box, wrapper, bottle, or can.

What Does a Best-Before Date Mean?

A best-before date tells you how long a food is likely to:

  • Stay at its best quality
  • Maintain its intended taste, texture, and appearance
  • Retain most of its nutritional value

If you follow the storage instructions on the label (both at the store and at home), the product should remain fresh and good quality up to the best-before date and sometimes even a bit beyond.

Examples of foods that commonly have best-before dates:

  • Canned foods
  • Frozen vegetables and frozen meals
  • Dry pasta, rice, and cereal
  • Snack foods (chips, crackers, cookies)

Is Food Safe After the Best-Before Date?

Food is usually still safe to eat after the best-before date, as long as:

  • It has been stored correctly (for example, refrigerated or frozen as directed)
  • The packaging is not damaged
  • The food looks, smells, and tastes as you would expect

However, the quality may not be as good. Over time, foods may:

  • Lose flavor or become stale
  • Change in color or texture
  • Lose some vitamins and nutrients

Manufacturers often choose a conservative best-before date—earlier than the time the food would actually spoil—to encourage you to enjoy the product at its peak quality. Think of best-before dates as a quality guide, not a strict safety deadline.

What Does a Use-By Date Mean?

A use-by date is about food safety, not just quality. Foods with a use-by date can become unsafe to eat after that date, even if they:

  • Look normal
  • Smell normal
  • Taste normal

You should not eat any food past its use-by date.

Common foods with use-by dates include:

  • Fresh milk and cream
  • Fresh meat, poultry, and fish
  • Ready-to-eat chilled meals and salads
  • Some soft cheeses and deli items

In a city like Grand Rapids, where winter heating and summer air conditioning can cause temperature fluctuations in your home, it’s especially important to respect use-by dates and store these foods properly.

Bread Dates: “Baked On” or “Baked For”

Bread is a special case. If its shelf life is less than 7 days, it can be labeled with:

  • “Baked on” date – the day it was made
  • “Baked for” date – the day it is intended to be sold

Bread may still be safe to eat after these dates, but it may be stale or dry. Always check for mold before eating bread that’s more than a few days old, especially in humid Grand Rapids summers when mold can grow faster.

How Reliable Are Use-By and Best-Before Dates?

Use-by and best-before dates are only reliable if the food:

  • Has been stored at the correct temperature
  • Has not had its packaging damaged
  • Has not been left out at room temperature too long

In West Michigan, where winter temperatures can be below freezing and summers can be hot and humid, food can easily be exposed to unsafe temperatures during:

  • Transport from the store to your home
  • Power outages
  • Events and outdoor gatherings

Always combine date labels with common sense checks:

  • Look – any discoloration, mold, or unusual separation?
  • Smell – any sour, rotten, or “off” odor?
  • Texture – is it slimy, unusually soft, or sticky when it shouldn’t be?

If in doubt, throw it out.

Proper Food Storage in Grand Rapids Homes

Many foods need to be kept at specific temperatures to remain safe up to their use-by or best-before date.

General Storage Guidelines

  • Refrigerator: 40°F (4°C) or below
  • Freezer: 0°F (-18°C) or below

Check your fridge and freezer with an appliance thermometer, especially during Kent County winter storms or summer heat waves when doors are opened more often or power may fluctuate.

Examples

  • Fresh milk: Must be refrigerated immediately. If left on the counter, it may sour quickly—even if the best-before or use-by date has not passed.
  • Raw meat, poultry, and fish: Store in the coldest part of the refrigerator, use or freeze by the use-by date.
  • Leftovers: Refrigerate within 2 hours of cooking (1 hour if the room is above 90°F, such as at a summer picnic near the Grand River or Lake Michigan).

Shopping Smart in Grand Rapids: Check Packaging and Temperature

Whether you’re shopping at Meijer, Family Fare, Aldi, or local Grand Rapids markets, follow these steps to keep food safe from the store to your home.

1. Check for Damage Before You Buy

Avoid buying items with:

  • Dents, bulges, or rust on cans
  • Tears, holes, or broken seals in packaging
  • Leaks or sticky residue on jars, bottles, or cartons

Damaged packaging can allow bacteria to enter, making the food unsafe—even if the use-by or best-before date has not passed.

2. Make Cold and Frozen Foods Your Last Stop

When shopping:

  • Pick up refrigerated and frozen foods last, just before you head to the checkout.
  • In hot Michigan summers, consider using an insulated cooler bag or small cooler in your car, especially if you live outside central Grand Rapids or have a longer drive.
  • Don’t buy chilled or frozen foods that are:
    • Sitting on unrefrigerated shelves
    • In overfilled refrigerators or freezers where doors don’t close properly
    • Partially thawed or soft (for example, ice cream that feels mushy)

If cold foods warm up too much on the way home, they may spoil before their use-by or best-before date.

3. Put Groceries Away Promptly

As soon as you arrive home:

  1. Refrigerate or freeze cold and frozen foods first.
  2. Keep raw meats separate from ready-to-eat foods to avoid cross-contamination.
  3. Store foods exactly as the label directs (for example, “refrigerate after opening”).

In winter, don’t leave groceries in the car for long; some foods can freeze and be damaged. In summer, a hot car can quickly push foods into the “danger zone” (40–140°F), where bacteria grow fastest.

Seasonal Food Safety Tips for Grand Rapids Residents

Winter in West Michigan

  • Don’t assume your garage or porch is a safe “extra fridge.” Temperatures can fluctuate above and below freezing, affecting food safety and texture.
  • During snowstorms or power outages, keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. Food in a full freezer can stay safe for about 48 hours if unopened.

Summer and Great Lakes Humidity

  • At cookouts, picnics, and beach days along Lake Michigan or the Grand River:
    • Keep perishable foods in coolers with plenty of ice or ice packs.
    • Don’t leave food out for more than 2 hours (1 hour if it’s above 90°F).
  • Be extra cautious with foods like potato salad, deli meats, and mayonnaise-based dishes.

Local Food Safety Resources in Grand Rapids, MI

If you have questions about food safety, use-by dates, or best-before dates, you can reach out to local and national resources:

  • Kent County Health Department

    • Offers information on food safety, foodborne illness, and local regulations.
    • Website: search “Kent County Health Department food safety”

  • Grand Rapids Public Health and local clinics

    • Spectrum Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids, Metro Health, and Mercy Health providers can offer guidance if you suspect food poisoning or have symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, or severe stomach cramps.

  • USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline

    • 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854)
    • For questions about meat, poultry, and egg safety.

  • FDA Food Safety

    • Information on packaged foods, labeling, and recalls (search “FDA food safety”).

If you or a family member in Grand Rapids develops symptoms of food poisoning—especially young children, older adults, pregnant women, or people with chronic conditions—contact your healthcare provider or call your local Spectrum Health or Trinity Health Grand Rapids urgent care for advice.

Key Takeaways for Grand Rapids Households

  • Use-by dates = safety: Do not eat food after the use-by date.
  • Best-before dates = quality: Food may still be safe if stored properly and it looks, smells, and tastes normal.
  • Storage matters: Michigan’s changing seasons make proper refrigeration and freezing essential.
  • Check packaging: Avoid damaged, leaking, or bulging packages.
  • Shop smart: Collect cold and frozen foods last, use cooler bags, and put groceries away promptly.

By understanding and using use-by and best-before dates correctly, Grand Rapids residents can protect their health, prevent foodborne illness, and reduce unnecessary food waste year-round.