By Matthew Kadey, MS, RD
Aug 9, 2021

Graphic of woman reading a best if used by label

That label you’re looking at: Does it mean “spoiled—toss it out” or “not optimal, but still safe to eat”? Food date labels can play an important role in helping consumers make informed decisions about food and can ultimately prevent unnecessary waste and protect against unsafe consumption. But the streamlined “Use By” and “Best If Used By” label system is still confusing people, signaling a need for better consumer educational communication, according to a study in the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.

Less than half (46%) of the 2,607 study respondents knew what the “Best If Used By” label specifically indicated, and fewer than one-quarter (24%) of participants understood the “Use By” label.

Here’s what the labels mean: “Best If Used By” dates are on products with longer shelf lives and refer to the amount of time that the food will be in optimal condition. A product that has passed this date may still be safe to eat, but the quality might not be as good. “Use By” dates are on perishable products with shorter shelf lives, and the date refers to when a product is expected to spoil and be unsafe to eat.

Giving consumers a brief explainer of what each label meant increased the level of understanding. Post-explanation, 82% could correctly articulate what a “Best If Used By” label meant, and 82.4% properly explained what “Use By” signified.

By Matthew Kadey, MS, RD
Jun 4, 2021
Hummus chicken wrap

Here is some sobering news: Nearly half of adults in the United States have hypertension, and nearly half a million deaths yearly have included hypertension as a primary or contributing cause. Perhaps if more people ate foods rich in niacin—including chicken, tuna, salmon, avocado and peanut butter—it would take a bite out of the soaring blood pressure numbers.

According to a study in JAMA Network Open, adults who had an ideal level of dietary niacin intake (between 14.3 and 16.7 milligrams a day) had a lower risk of new-onset hypertension, defined as systolic blood pressure of 140 mm Hg or greater and/or diastolic blood pressure of 90 mm Hg or greater. While this link was discovered among people living in China, it may also apply to Americans at risk of hypertension. That makes these hummus chicken wraps a low-pressure lunch option.

1 bunch asparagus, woody ends trimmed and halved

1 C prepared hummus

4 large whole-grain sandwich wraps

2 C arugula

1 lb cooked and sliced chicken breast

1 C sliced roasted red pepper

2 T fresh lemon juice

Place asparagus in a steamer tray set over 1 inch of water. Bring water to a boil and steam asparagus covered until bright green and tender, about 3 minutes. Spread an equal amount of hummus over the surface of each wrap. Place equal amounts of arugula, chicken, asparagus and roasted red pepper on the bottom third of the wraps. Squeeze on lemon juice. Roll tightly, folding the edges in as you roll, and then slice in half on a diagonal. Makes four servings.

See also: Recipe for Health: Edamame Chicken Wraps
IDEA Fitness Journal SPRINT – June 2021

Matthew Kadey, MS, RD

Matthew Kadey, MS, RD, is a James Beard Award–winning food journalist, dietitian and author of the cookbook Rocket Fuel: Power-Packed Food for Sport + Adventure (VeloPress 2016). He has written for dozens of magazines, including Runner’s World, Men’s Health, Shape, Men’s Fitness and Muscle and Fitness.