Can you eat bread after the best before date? (2024)

BEST before dates on food are all about the quality of the product not the safety of consuming it.

Here's how the dates on bread affect when you can eat it.

1

Can you eat bread after the best before date?

Yes, packaged bread can be eaten past its best before date (BBD).

A best before date indicates when the food is at its best to eat.

But there are no safety issues with eating it after the date has expired - it just might not taste as good.

According to the government website, loose foods, such as unpackaged bread, do not need to display a best before date.

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How long is bread good after the expiration date?

Bread can last around five to seven days after the best before date if stored and packaged at room temperature.

If you store your bread in the fridge you can use it for up to two weeks past the best before date.

Bakery bread can last up to two to three days after it is bought.

However, you can safely eat it after this time, but it may not be as fresh.

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Good Housekeeping recommends wrapping it in clingfilm to keep it fresh.

Bread that has gone a little hard can still be great when toasted.

Bread sold in long-life packaging like pittas can last for considerably longer - potentially months.

If you want to make the shelf life of your bread longer, pop it in the freezer as it can be stored for up to six months this way.

You can freeze bread indefinitely, but the quality of the loaf may not be as good.

How to tell if your bread has gone off

If there is visible mould on your bread, throw it away.

Even if only one slice is affected in the loaf, do not eat the rest of the slices.

The mould can have different colours from white to black or green/blue.

How to keep bread fresh

Bread should be stored in a cool, dry area to keep it fresh.

Reusable bread bags are recommended as they help bread to breathe and stay fresh.

Freshly baked bread should be stored in paper bags to allow it to breathe.

Investing in a bread bin can also help keep your loaf fresher for longer, especially one with a tight fitting lid.

A long term option of storing bread is to put it in the freezer.

Freezing makes the bread last indefinitely but over time the quality will decline.

That is why it is recommended to only keep bread frozen for up to six months.

What other foods should you ditch and are there any you can keep after the best before date?

Foods that are not suitable to eat after a certain length of time are given a use-by date.

Use-by dates are placed on food that goes off quickly, such as meat products or ready-to-eat salads.

Here's the food that should be ditched of the ate has expired:

  • Fresh berries-Fresh berries can carry a parasite called cyclospora. This can cause diarrhoea, vomiting and other nasty flu-like symptoms.
  • Fresh meat- Fresh meat should be consumed immediately.
  • Fresh juices-Fresh juices should always be chucked after they have expired.
  • Sprouts- Sprouts aregrown in a warm, moist environment which means they can be prone to contamination.
  • Fish- Fish that is out of date has increased chances of givingyou listeriosis - a disease that causes abdominal pain, diarrhoea, nausea, and vomiting.

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Food that can be consumed after the best before dateincludes:

  • Chocolate-As long as chocolate tastes OK, it is good to keep and eat.
  • Yogurt- You can usually eat yogurt for two weeks after the best before date.
  • Eggs - If an egg sinks in a bowl of water, it's good to eat.
  • Biscuits-Biscuits can be eaten for a few weeks after expiring.
  • Dried pasta-Dry pasta can last up to three years after the best before date if it is stored in a cool, dry and airtight environment.
  • Canned goods- As long as cans are undamaged and stored cool away from direct light, they can last for around four years.
  • Frozen vegetables- If veg is kept frozen, it can last indefinitely.
  • Milk- Milk can be used as long as it tastes and smells OK.
Can you eat bread after the best before date? (2024)

FAQs

Can you eat bread after the best before date? ›

Bread will generally become stale past its expiration date, but it is still safe to eat. If you want to extend the life of your bread even longer, store it in the fridge or freezer. If you spot any bits of mold, toss it.

How long is bread good for after the best before date? ›

As long as there is no presence of mold or other signs of spoilage, you can safely consume expired bread. Most of the time, bread lasts for about five to seven days past the “best by” date listed on the packaging. The only issue is that your bread might taste stale, especially if you store it in the refrigerator.

How much after a best before date can you eat it? ›

Canned goods: Last up to one year past the best before date. Dairy (and eggs): Lasts up to two weeks past the best before date. Poultry pieces: Last up to six months in the freezer. Meats (incl.

What happens if you accidentally eat out of date bread? ›

Your body is often equipped to handle small amounts of bacteria or toxins in expired food without significant harm. Assess Symptoms: If you start feeling unwell after consuming expired food, pay attention to any symptoms you experience. Common symptoms include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach discomfort.

What foods can you not eat after the expiration date? ›

11 Foods You Should Never Eat Past Their Expiration Date
  • Milk. Milk is one of those items that's pretty easy to tell when it's no longer safe to consume. ...
  • Soft cheeses. ...
  • Bread. ...
  • Salad dressing and jarred condiments. ...
  • Raw meat. ...
  • Leftovers with cooked meat. ...
  • Deli meat. ...
  • Eggs.
Jun 15, 2024

How to tell if bread has gone bad? ›

Common Signs of Bread Spoilage

Visual Inspection: Mold typically appears as fuzzy spots on the surface of the bread and can be green, white, blue, or black. It's easy to spot mold growth which signifies bread spoilage. Smell: An off smell or a sour odor is a clear indicator that bread has begun to spoil.

What is the difference between best before and expiration date? ›

Expiration dates tell consumers the last day a product is safe to consume. Best before date on the other hand tells you that the food is no longer in its perfect shape from that date. It may just lose its freshness, taste, aroma or nutrients. It does not necessarily mean that the food is no longer safe to eat.

Is it OK to eat best before date 6 days after? ›

Within reason, provided the food looks and smells as you would expect, it should be safe to eat, even if the 'best-before' date has passed. Keep an eye on the 'use-by' or 'best-before' dates on the food in your cupboards.

How safe is food after best before date? ›

The best before date, sometimes shown as BBE (best before end), is about quality and not safety. After the best before date listed on a product, the food will be safe to eat but may not be at its best. Best before dates appear on a wide range of foods including: frozen foods (such as peas, chips and ice cream)

Can you eat best before date after? ›

Most foods have a best-before date. You can still eat foods for a while after the best-before date as they should be safe but they may have lost some quality. Foods that have a best-before date can legally be sold after that date provided the food is fit for human consumption.

Can you get food poisoning from bad bread? ›

Some mold can produce harmful and invisible poisons called mycotoxins. These may spread through bread, particularly when mold growth is heavy (1). High intake of mycotoxins may cause digestive upset or other illness.

What to do immediately after eating expired food? ›

Replace fluids with water, sports drinks, juice with added water or broths. Children or people at risk for serious illness should drink rehydration fluids (Pedialyte, Enfalyte, others). Talk to your doctor before giving rehydration fluids to infants. Ease back into eating.

What does mold on bread look like? ›

Molds are teeny tiny fungi that can grow and flourish on plants, animals, and foods like bread. You might only see these white or green spots on the surface of bread, but mold branches out with roots deep inside, below the surface—that's the part you don't see.

How long after best before date bread? ›

Bread can last around five to seven days after the best before date if stored and packaged at room temperature. If you store your bread in the fridge you can use it for up to two weeks past the best before date. Bakery bread can last up to two to three days after it is bought.

What two foods never expire? ›

These non-perishable foods really do last indefinitely, stored unopened in a cool, dry, dark spot:
  • Baking soda: lasts indefinitely, though it can lose its leavening power over time. ...
  • Beans and legumes (dried, in general). ...
  • Corn syrup.
May 7, 2022

How many days after expiration date is OK? ›

Sell-By Date: Refers to the last day a retailer can display a product for sale; typically a food is safe to eat for 10 days after the Sell-by Date if refrigerated properly. Use-By Date: Refers to the last day a product will maintain its optimum freshness, flavor, and texture.

Can you use flour 2 years out of date? ›

Can You Use Expired Flour? According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), expiration dates do not constitute safety. Expired flour can be safe to use if the flour is still good. However, flour does go bad, which you can determine from smell and appearance.

Are eggs still good 2 weeks after the sell-by date? ›

"Those expiration dates are on some egg cartons to make sure that retailers don't keep eggs on shelves past a certain date," Maloberti says. "However, eggs can be safely eaten two to three weeks past that date. Depending on where [you live], the expiration date may be labeled as Sell By, Use By, Exp. By or Best By."

How strict are use by dates? ›

FSA guidance for households on use-by dates includes: never eat food after the use-by date, even if it looks and smells ok. it is safe to eat food until midnight on the use-by date shown on a product, but not after, unless the food has been cooked or frozen.

Can I eat 2 year old frozen bread? ›

Bread. Bread can be frozen for later use, but it's important to note that bread can lose its texture and taste over time. Eating frozen bread that has passed its expiration date can lead to mould growth and stomach issues.

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