Inflationary pressures on food prices in Canada have led many people to consider consuming food that is close to or past its best-before date, a new report from Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab reveals. The report found that 58% of respondents are more inclined to eat food that is close to or past its best-before date due to higher prices, with 38.6% admitting to often consuming such food and 7.5% rarely doing so. While some foods like canned and dry goods can be safely consumed past their best-by date, others like seafood, deli meats, and leftovers should be avoided due to potential bacteria growth. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) emphasizes that best-before dates are not indicators of food safety but rather the company’s estimate of when the quality starts to decline. To extend the shelf life of food, nearly half of Canadians surveyed have adopted different storage or preparation methods like freezing bread or using humidity-controlled drawers for produce. Experts caution against excessive risk-taking and freezing food for too long, as it can still spoil. They recommend buying only what is needed and using one’s senses to determine if food is still edible.