Any Hungry Husky

Food Expiration Guidelines

Updated January 2023

Food Recovery

Plaza Cafe (UWMC) prepackaged perishable foods

Up to and including 3 days past label date.

Central Production Kitchen (CPK) prepackaged perishable foods

Up to and including 4 days past label date.
CPK items are dated 2 days after production, even when the label is marked Use By.

Motosurf items

Up to and including 1 day past label date.

Starbucks shelf-stable foods

Up to and including 3 months past Sell By or Best By date. Up to and including Use By or Expire By date.

Starbucks perishable foods

Up to and including 3 days past Sell By or Best Buy date. Up to and including Use By or Expire By date.

Note: Compost any items that are observed to be spoiled or temperature abused.

Temperature abused refers to perishable food items that have spent two hours or more in the temperature danger zone (between 41-134 degrees F). The Pantry stores all perishable foods below 40 degrees F and only accepts perishable foods received at a temperature below 41 degrees F. The Pantry uses coolers filled with ice to transport perishable recovered food directly from a location’s fridges to the Pantry. 

Pantry Items

Shelf Stable Best By

Up to and including 3 months past label  date.
Example: A shelf-stable item marked Best By 6/5/23 can be distributed until 9/5/23.

Perishable Best By

Up to and including 3 days past label date.
Example: A perishable item marked Best By 6/5/23 can be distributed on 6/8/23 but must be composted on 6/9/23.

Sell by

Up to and including 3 days past label date.
Example: An item marked Sell By 6/5/23 can be distributed on 6/8/23 but must be composted on 6/9/23.

Use By or Expire By

Up to and including the label date.
Example: An item marked Use By 6/5/23 can be distributed on 6/5/23 but must be composted on 6/6/23.

Exceptions

  • Flour: Up to 1 month past the container’s sell by or best by date.
  • Mayonnaise: Up to 1 month past the container’s sell by or best by date.
  • Frozen Bakery Items: Up to 1 month in the Pantry freezer.
    Note that frozen items thawed in the refrigerator may only be served for 1 day following thaw.