A new California law is changing rules governing "sell by" dates on food products, a change that is drawing attention from a food bank in Montana.
"It's crazy to throw away anything that you think might have some nutritional value," said Sheryle Shandy, the CEO of the Billings Food Bank.
To hear Shandy's thoughts, watch below:
The new California law replaces the "sell by" labels with two simpler terms: "quality date" and "safety date."
The law took effect July 1, aiming to cut down on confusion that leads consumers to throw away food that is still safe to eat.
The change comes as researchers estimate 3 billion pounds of food is thrown away every year in the United States, according to ReFED, a nonprofit that studies food waste. That waste carries an estimated price tag of $7 billion a year.
For years, shoppers have faced a maze of labels: "use by," "sell by," "best if used by," and more. These come with little clarity on what each one really means. California's new law consolidates those into two straightforward categories intended to help consumers distinguish between food quality and food safety.
The USDA says most food remains safe to eat past its printed date.
Shandy said her facility regularly receives food that is past its labeled date. With food costs rising, she said every donation counts.
"We don't throw away as much stuff as we used to," Shandy said.
Shandy said the food bank works to move incoming donations quickly.
"We do try to handle everything as quickly and stuff as it comes in," Shandy said.
Montana is not changing its food labeling requirements. In the meantime, some say the best tool for judging whether food is still good may be the simplest one: your nose.
