Are you confused about “sell-by,” “best-by,” or “use-by” language and dates you see stamped on the packaging of your favorite foods and beverages? You are not alone! While food safety is a primary concern for consumers, food waste is also an issue. To help combat consumer confusion about expiration language, late last year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released food labeling guidelines aimed at reducing the amount of good food that gets thrown out.

To give you further clarity on how to tell if you should “taste it OR toss it” when it comes to food safety, we contributed to this article in Martha Stewart Living. So before you throw out that box of cereal or bottle of juice, take a look!