best before

English

Phrase

best before

  1. Used on product labeling to indicate the date up to which a perishable item is at its best quality.
    Best before 11/04/2027
  2. Used other than figuratively or idiomatically: see best,‎ before.

Noun

best before (plural best befores)

  1. (informal) Clipping of best before date.
    What's the best before on the milk?
    • 2009 November 10, Tamsyn Kent, “Thriving trade in out-of-date best-before foods”, in BBC News‎[1], archived from the original on 12 November 2009:
      Secretary of State for the Environment Hilary Benn has suggested sell-by dates should be scrapped and best-befores ignored.
    • 2016 November 8, Eleanor Jones, “11 foods you can eat after their sell-by date”, in Cosmopolitan‎[2], archived from the original on 26 August 2017:
      The best before on bread is just a guideline - they might not be at their best after this point, but loaves that've gone a bit hard can be eaten without any problems.
    • 2022 November 15, Aimee Shaw, “Savvy shoppers seek out 'expired' food to combat rising grocery prices”, in Stuff‎[3], archived from the original on 14 November 2022:
      We have quite a bit [of stock] at the moment from containers coming in that aren’t getting through quick enough so the dates are short and past best befores.
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