B2 – Upper Intermediate
We could all be guilty about one thing — tossing food on or before their sell-by dates. Part of the reason is because we do not fully understand what expiration date labels on them actually mean. As a result, massive amounts of food are wasted globally.
Watch the video about the truth about food expiration dates and how to solve food waste.
Vocabulary Questions:
- What does ”go bad” mean,“So if the dates on our food don’t tell us that something’s gone bad, what do they tell us?”? Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and make a sentence using ‘go bad’.
- Explain “open dating”. “Many supermarkets adopted a system still in place today called ‘open dating’.” Use this term in a sentence.
- What does “gauge” mean? “But when supermarkets began stocking processed foods, product ages became harder to gauge.” Give two (2) synonyms or similar expressions and make a sentence using ‘gauge’.
Discussion Questions:
- What are your thoughts on this, “Many foods are safe to eat far beyond their labeled dates.”?
- Do you use date labels to decide if food is still edible? Why or why not? Would the info in this video change your ways? Explain.
- What are some food preservation hacks you employ on your food items at home?
- How do you minimize your food waste?
- Should grocers remove date labels on produces and just let consumers use their own judgement? Explain your perspective on this.
- Should restaurants and grocers donate unsold food? Share your opinion.