Youtube Exercise » English Grammar Homework

Food expiration dates don’t mean what you think – Carolyn Beans

TED-Ed

7.1M views 3 years ago

Warm-up Questions

When you see a date on food packaging, what do you think it means?
What kinds of food do you personally throw away most often?
How could misunderstanding food dates affect the environment?

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Food expiration dates don’t mean what you think – Carolyn Beans

Why so much food gets thrown away (00:00 – 01:57)

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1. According to the video, about what percentage of U.S. food waste comes from individual households?

About 70%
About 37%
About 60%
About 10%

2. Why are many food items thrown away by consumers?

Stores require people to throw food away
Consumers are not sure how to interpret date labels
Consumers think all processed foods are unsafe
Food goes bad immediately after purchase

3. What does “open dating” mainly indicate?

How much nutrition is left in the food
Optimum freshness chosen by manufacturers or retailers
The exact day food becomes dangerous
A government-certified safety deadline

Food expiration dates don’t mean what you think – Carolyn Beans

What is usually safe, and what needs extra caution (01:57 – 03:06)

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1. What does the video say about many shelf-stable groceries like old cookies or pasta?

They can be a serious health risk after the date
They are illegal to sell after the date
They might taste stale but usually aren’t a health risk
They must always be frozen to be safe

2. Which is mentioned as a warning sign that canned food may not be safe?

A slightly darker color
A small dent
Bulging or rusting
A missing label

3. Which foods are said to be more likely to carry pathogenic bacteria that can slip past a smell or taste test?

Canned soups and dried beans
Bread and crackers
Ready-to-eat salads, deli meats, and unpasturized cheeses
Fresh apples and oranges

Food expiration dates don’t mean what you think – Carolyn Beans

How to reduce waste: clearer labels and better policies (03:06 – 05:06)

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1. In the 2019 survey, what did more than 70% of Americans say they use date labels for?

To decide how to cook the food
To compare prices between brands
To calculate calories per serving
To decide if food is still edible

2. What two standardized phrases do experts advocate for date labels?

“Best if used by” (freshness) and “Used by” (safety)
“Sell by” and “Throw away by”
“Fresh until” and “Safe until”
“Eat now” and “Eat later”

3. What does the speaker say is usually enough to decide if food is fit for consumption?

Your eyes, nose, and tongue
The printed date only
A thermometer and a lab test
Advice from social media

Food expiration dates don’t mean what you think – Carolyn Beans

Transcript will load here…

1. What is the main point of the video?

Most food date labels are mainly about freshness, not safety, and misunderstanding them causes waste
Supermarkets should stop selling processed food
All food is safe no matter how old it is
Freezing food always makes it unsafe

2. Which approach is presented as one way to reduce food waste?

Making date labels more confusing so people buy more
Requiring everyone to compost all food
Banning the sale of refrigerated eggs
Standardizing label language and encouraging donations

3. Why might manufacturers set dates early?

To ensure customers experience the food at its best and return to buy more
Because the food becomes unsafe immediately after packaging
Because stores cannot legally sell food without a scientific test
Because the government forces the earliest possible date

Discussion Questions

Discuss the ideas from this video

Food expiration dates don’t mean what you think – Carolyn Beans

Do you usually trust date labels or your senses more? Why?
Which foods do you think people should be “better safe than sorry” with? Give examples.
If your country changed labels to only “Best if used by” and “Used by,” how would your shopping habits change?
What policies should governments or supermarkets use to reduce food waste (donations, education, removing labels on produce, etc.)?