Eat By Date

A lot of food gets wasted because people throw it out as soon as it hits the "eat by" or "best before" date printed on the packaging. That date almost always doesn't mean that the food will spoil immediately after that date; it just means that it might not be ideal - the consistency may change or it may be drier than it should be. 

So the question is, how long past the best before date is the food safe to eat? (This question arises often in my family, especially with dairy products). 

To answer that question, you can turn to Eat By Date. 

We are a group of contributors from the kitchen and classroom communities who set out to answer the question, “How long does food really last?”. From the best ingredients to the ordinary, we provide you with a diverse and informative perspective on food shelf life, food safety, expiration dates, recipes, substitutions, food storage and more. We are focused on helping you save money, eat healthy, and debunk the myth of expiration dates on food.

The site is divided into seven categories of food: Dairy, Drinks, Fruits, Grains, Protein, Vegetables, and Other. Each category is further subdivided (for example, 29 categories under Dairy). As well, there's an alphabetical list with more products. The information includes tips on storage and how to get the most shelf life out of your food. 

This is an excellent site and I wish I'd found it a long time ago.