Healthy or junk food? Busting food labels (CBC Marketplace)
“Sell by” tells how long the manufacturer suggests that a store should sell items such as meat, poultry, eggs, or milk products. Make sure you buy by this date.
“Use by” tells how long items will be at peak quality. If you buy or use the product after that date, some might be stale or less tasty.
“Best if used by” (or “best if used before”) tells how long the item will have the best flavor or quality.
None of these dates tell you when an item is no longer safe to eat or drink. In fact, product dates are not required by federal regulations and are added voluntarily by manufacturers.