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Past its best-before date: still good?

The best-before date is not a throw-away date: 41 foods with the professional kitchen test, and when something really has to go. Bärn Kit for Bern.

Still good or not? tells you for 41 foods whether they can still be eaten after the printed date and how to tell. The page distinguishes two dates: “Best before” is a quality promise by the producer; after it, you look, smell and taste. If the pack says “use by”, that date is the limit whatever the food – typical on meat, fish, poultry, cold cuts, mozzarella, cream cakes, sprouts and ready salads; after that date you do not eat it, even if it smells fine.

Each food carries one of three labels: “Senses decide”, “Short shelf life, test it” or “Date is the limit”. Tapping an entry opens the professional kitchen test. A few examples: for eggs the water test shows their age (it lies flat, stands up or floats), on hard cheese a mouldy spot is cut away generously, mouldy bread goes out completely, and a tin with a bulging lid is thrown away without tasting.

At the top there is a search field and the categories All, Dairy, Meat & fish, Pantry, Fresh and Leftovers. This way you quickly find out whether the yoghurt, the cooked leftovers or the minced meat are still good. Under “Pantry” you find long-life foods such as flour, rice, tins, oil, honey, coffee, chocolate, nuts and frozen food, each with the test for whether it is still good after the date.

The information is for your own household. It is based on Swiss food law and guidance from the FSVO, the FOPH and foodwaste.ch (as of October 2026), plus professional kitchen experience; it is not official information and not medical advice. When in doubt, throw it out. For pregnant women, babies, older and ill people, a separate box lists what to avoid or eat only well heated (listeria, raw eggs, no honey for babies). The page is part of Bärn Kit for Bern, is available in German, French and English, and works without tracking.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a best-before date and a use-by date?

“Best before” is a quality promise by the producer; after it, you look, smell and taste. If the pack says “use by”, that date is the limit – typical on meat, fish, poultry, cold cuts, mozzarella, cream cakes, sprouts and ready salads: do not eat it after that date, even if it smells fine.

Can you still eat yoghurt after the best-before date?

Unopened, usually 1–2 weeks past the best-before date. A bulging lid, mould or a yeasty smell mean it has to go. Liquid on top is whey and normal, just stir it in.

How can I tell whether eggs are still good?

The best-before date is at most 28 days after laying. After it, for about 6 more days, eat eggs only fully cooked (hard-boiled, baked) – no fried eggs, no tiramisu, no mayonnaise. The water test shows age, not salmonella: if the egg floats, bin it; the same for pink or greenish white, a rotten smell or a cracked shell.

Can you cut mould off cheese?

For hard cheese, yes: cut the mouldy spot away generously (2 cm), the rest is fine. For soft cheese and cream cheese with mould that does not belong to the variety: throw it all away.

Is raw poultry still safe after the date?

No. For raw poultry the use-by date applies with zero tolerance, because salmonella and campylobacter do not smell. Cook it on the day of purchase or the next day, otherwise freeze it.

Also in Bärn Kit: Balcony for bees · Club event kitchen · Bern seasonal calendar · Leftovers kitchen

In the blog: Still good or not? How to read best-before dates

Part of Bärn Kit: free tools for Bern, no account needed.

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