Each year food prices are increasing which has seen 13.6 percent of UK households either eating less or going a day without food due to affordability issues.
Despite the eye-watering costs of fresh foods, households still seem to be wasting valuable fruit and vegetables by making this simple yet common mistake.
The UK discards about 9.5 million tonnes of food, wasting billions of pounds and contributing to global warming, however, an expert has revealed a supermarket secret that will save you from wasting any goods.
Richard Price, of international supermarket delivery service, Britsuperstore stated: “Supermarkets are now using a straightforward, yet secret code to represent best-before dates on certain fruit and vegetables.”
The expert is encouraging people to never rely on the best-before date but to instead decipher an “alphanumeric code” that is also seen on the packaging.
What is the secret code?
The system is simple, on the packaging there is a letter and a number. The letter corresponds to the month, with ‘A’ for January, ‘B’ for February, and so on, while the number represents the day of the month.
Price went on to share: “For example, if you see ‘D15’ on a pack of strawberries, it means they’re best before April 15. By understanding this code, you can easily pick fresher produce and make sure you’re getting the longest shelf life possible.”
Best-before dates explained
Another tip to save your produce and avoid waste is to completely understand what the best-before dates actually mean. Supermarket shoppers are not aware that ‘best before’ dates simply show their peak quality, not safety.
The expert explained: “Products like canned goods, for example, can be safely eaten two to five years after the ‘best before’ date if stored in a cool, dry place. Hard cheeses like cheddar can be enjoyed even after surface mould is removed and dry staples like pasta and white rice, when kept in airtight containers, can also last for several years.”
Having proper storage can aid in extending the life of many products but if the food has an odd smell, an unusual texture, or visible spoilage like mould, it’s best to discard it. On the other hand, Price warns that ‘Use by’ or ‘eat by’ dates should be followed strictly, especially for meat and dairy. He added: “These dates are there for both quality and safety, and it’s strongly recommended to not eat the product past this date.”
How to be cost-efficient
Making a shopping list to avoid unnecessary overbuying can be useful when trying to be cost-efficient, however, food shopping is more complex than than that. The expert guarantees that following these simple tips will ensure minimal food waste and save shoppers from overspending.
How to prevent food waste:
- Store food in the right conditions and keep your fridge temperature between 0-5°C to extend its shelf life
- Learn the difference between “use by,” “best before,” and “sell by” dates to avoid throwing away food
- Repurpose leftovers into new meals, like turning roast chicken into soup
- If you have extra food, like fruits, vegetables, bread, and leftovers, freeze it before it spoils
- Organise your pantry and fridge so older items are in front and used first
- Buying in bulk is cost-effective but avoid buying perishables in large quantities, unless you can use them all
