The truth about expiration dates

(WPRI) - Studies show food might still be good to eat, even after the "use by" date has passed.

The amount of wasted food in a household can be avoided, but most people see an expiration date and immediately throw out the product. Research suggests that American families toss more than 120 lbs. of food each month.

While it is always best to purchase an item with a "use by" date as far away as possible, chances are the "sell by" date will be a lot sooner. That's because the latter is a guide for the store to help move the product off the shelf while it is still at its peak.

Even though the dates do matter, expiration dates generally just refer to the "freshness" instead of whether or not it's gone bad.