Keep Your Kitchen Fresh!

By: Chelsey Hennemuth

I’ll be honest—I’m not the most talented when it comes to working in the kitchen, so it’s a bit ironic that I am even discussing this topic right now. I always tell myself, “You’re only 23, you have plenty of time to learn how to maneuver your way through the kitchen.” Well, most of my 23-year-old friends already know how to cook and know the ins and outs of the kitchen, which puts me a few years behind.

I thought about this handicap of mine the other day when I pulled a carton of yogurt out of the fridge and wasn’t sure if I should eat it. It had one of the infamous dates on the carton– you know, the “sell-by” or “best-by” dates (I can’t remember which one it was at this point). And being as clueless as I am, I refused to eat it for fear that I might keel over and die after just one bite (yes, I’m that bad). A few days later, I was given the opportunity to research food expiration dates and ways to keep your kitchen organized. I thought it would be the perfect way to kickoff my basic kitchen lessons and could probably help a lot of other confused women like myself!

When you go to the grocery store, almost every food item has a date printed on the packaging as a guideline for safety and/or freshness. There are “Sell by” dates, “Best if used by” dates, and “Use by” dates. They all sound the same to me. So what exactly is the difference? Here’s a helpful list of food dates, courtesy of the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service website:

• A “Sell-By” date tells the store how long to display the product for sale. You should buy the product before the date expires.
• A “Best if Used By (or Before)” date is recommended for best flavor or quality. It is not a purchase or safety date.
• A “Use-By” date is the last date recommended for the use of the product while at peak quality. The date has been determined by the manufacturer of the product.
• “Closed or coded dates” are packing numbers for use by the manufacturer.

With that, the Food Safety and Inspection Service states that if foods have “use by” dates, then consumers should follow that date. But if the product has a “sell by” date or no date at all, then consumers should cook or freeze the product according to its storage requirements.

Organizing the kitchen is most likely the last thing on our “To-Do Lists.” But really, it should be toward the top. Not only does an unorganized kitchen leave us searching for hours but it also leaves room for bacteria and mold. We all hate opening the refrigerator and finding moldy cheese and rotten vegetables. It’s not healthy and it’s a waste of food and money.

Again, “use-by” should be closely followed for quality and safety. “Sell-by” dates, on the other hand, are a bit more flexible. But, food should be prepared or frozen based in a timely manner, depending on the item. Freezing foods is an excellent way to preserve your purchases and keep things organized in the kitchen. Frozen foods can keep for weeks and months, sometimes even years, if stored properly in your freezer!

Thankfully, I found the perfect cheat-sheet for food storage in the refrigerator and in the freezer. Recipetips.com provides an extensive list of household kitchen items and instructions for preserving their freshness. The list includes instructions for meat, poultry, seafood, fruits, vegetables, pastries, dairy items, and other pantry items. My suggestion? Print them out and keep them close by in your kitchen. That’s my plan, at least! Following these instructions will help get your kitchen organized so you can plan delicious, fresh meals for you and your family.

For more information on product dating, visit the Food Safety and Inspection Service at www.fsis.usda.gov.

Chelsey Hennemuth is a graduate student in the Journalism and Multimedia Arts Department at Duquesne University. She received her B.A. in Graphic Design from St. Vincent College.