By: Alberta Health Services Dietetic Intern and Registered Dietitians
Walking into a Canadian grocery store for the first time can be overwhelming. Many foods and drinks in Canada are packaged and include labels that give you information about the food. You can use the information on these labels to help you make decisions about what foods to buy.
In this article you will find information about:
- expiration dates and best before dates
- the new front-of-package label
- how to use the label to guide your choices at the grocery store and waste less food
What does the date on a food package mean?
There are two main types of food labels that include a date.
Best Before (BB) à tells us about food QUALITY, not safety of packaged foods. If it is stored according to the instructions on the package, it can be safe for days or even weeks after the date! Food past the best before date may be safe to eat, but it might not taste as fresh. Throw food away if it has changed in color, texture, taste, or smell.
Expiration (EXP) à the expiration date tells us the last day that the food is safe to eat. Expiration dates are not very common and may only be seen on products like infant formula or meal replacements.
What does the Front-of-package label mean?
When you see this bold label on a food package, it tells you that the food is high in one or more of these three things: sugar, sodium, and saturated fat. Eating foods high in sugar, sodium or saturated fat too often can increase your risk of health problems. Here are two examples of foods with this label:
This front-of-package label helps people quickly see that this chocolate bar is high in sugar and saturated fat.
This label shows that this popcorn is high in sodium, which is another word for salt. Many other salty foods like chips, crackers, or nuts may have this label too.
Foods that are are high in saturated fat, sugar, and sodium are often considered highly processed. For more information about highly processed foods, check out this link: Limit highly processed foods – Canada’s Food Guide
How can I use these labels to make decisions about choosing foods?
- If you have a food or drink that is past the best before date, check it before throwing it out! If it looks, smells and tastes good, you can still use it.
- Food that is getting close to its best before date may be at a reduced price- choose these items and freeze them or use them the same day to help save money.
- Look for front-of-package labels that alert you about foods that are high sugar, salt and saturated fat and try to choose less of those foods.