Most of us check expiration dates on the food and products we buy.
But many times, those dates are just made up by the manufacturer.
And while there's no legal date requirement for most foods, the industry is making some changes.
Right now expiration dates come with various phrases including "sell by," "use by," "expires on," "best before," "better if used by," and "best by."
Except for perishable items, none of these actually mean the food has gone bad by the date shown.
It's confusing. So by this summer, the Grocery Manufacturer's Association plan to cut it down to two phrases "use by" and "best if used by."
"Use by" applies to highly perishable products that should be used or thrown away by that date.
"Best if used by" means the quality may not be as good after the date, but it's still safe to eat.
It's still a voluntary program, but the association estimates an 8 percent reduction in food waste.
