Expiration date tracker: keep the fridge and pantry in date
An expiration date tracker records the date printed on your food, medicine or cosmetics, sorts everything by what runs out first and reminds you before it does. It works best when you know which date you are looking at: after a best before date food is often still fine, after a use by date it should not be eaten.
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What is the difference between best before and use by?
A best before date is about quality. Until that day an unopened product, stored as the label says, keeps its expected taste and texture. After it, the food is not automatically unsafe; it may simply be a little less good.
A use by date is about safety and appears on foods that go off quickly, such as fresh minced meat, raw poultry or chilled ready meals. After that date you should not eat, cook or freeze the product, even if it looks and smells fine.
| Best before | Use by | |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | quality is guaranteed until this date | safety limit |
| Typical foods | pasta, rice, canned food, biscuits, yoghurt | raw meat, poultry, fresh fish, chilled ready meals |
| After the date | check: look, smell, taste a little | do not eat |
Is food safe after the best before date?
Often, yes. Use your senses first: does it look normal, smell normal and taste normal in a small amount? If the pack is undamaged and has been stored correctly, many foods are fine for days or weeks after the best before date, and dry goods such as pasta or rice often much longer.
Throw food away if you see mould, a bulging pack, a fermented smell or a change in colour, whatever the date says. Once a pack is opened the best before date no longer applies; follow the instructions such as “once opened, eat within 3 days” instead.
How do I keep track of expiration dates at home?
The classic rule is first in, first out: new shopping goes to the back, older items move to the front. A list sorted by date works even better, because small packs easily disappear behind big ones in the fridge.
- Empty the fridge, freezer and pantry once and throw out anything past its use by date.
- Write down each item with its printed date, and opened items with the day you opened them.
- Give anything that runs out within three days a fixed “eat me first” spot in the fridge.
- Plan the week’s meals from the list, starting with what expires soonest.
- Check the list before you shop so you don’t buy what you already have.
How do I read the date code on a package?
Dates look different depending on the maker and the country. Short-life products usually show day and month; long-life products may only show month and year, which means the end of that month. Imported goods often carry other languages or abbreviations.
- 12/31/26: month, day, year, common in the US.
- 31.12.26 or 31/12/2026: day, month, year, common in Europe.
- 2026-12-31: the international order year, month, day.
- BB or BBE: best before. EXP: expiry.
- MFG or PROD next to a date marks the manufacturing date, not the expiry.
- A code such as “L6283” is usually a lot or batch number, not a date.
What about medicine and cosmetics?
Medicines carry an expiry date and should not be used after it; your pharmacist can advise on a specific product. Cosmetics often show an open-jar symbol with a number such as “12M”: that is how many months the product keeps after opening, so note the day you open it.
How Vorra works as an expiration date tracker
Vorra is an Android app that reads the printed date for you. Point the camera at the date on the pack and Vorra saves it, sorts everything by what runs out first and reminds you in time. The date is read on your phone, and no photo is saved or sent.
- Date scanning: Vorra understands formats such as 31.12.26, 12/2026, 2026-12-31, BB 14 MAR 2027 and EXP next to MFG; without the camera, quick buttons like +1 week fill it in.
- The barcode is read on the way and fills in the product name; name a product once and Vorra remembers it.
- One list for fridge, freezer and pantry, sorted by date, with a coloured sticker for the days left.
- Tick “Used up” or “Thrown away” with one tap, also straight from the notification; quantities such as one of four yoghurts.
- A reminder only on days when something is due, at the time and lead time you choose.
- Monthly waste report: how much you used up in time and how much went in the bin; share your use-up list as text and move to a new phone with a backup file.
What the app cannot do
Vorra stores the printed date; it does not judge whether food is still safe to eat. Faint or unusual print may not be read, in which case you type the date in; for product names the app looks up the barcode number with Open Food Facts, which you can switch off. Vorra is available for Android only.
Price
Date scanning, up to 15 active items, reminders, the monthly rate and backup are free; Vorra Pro with a home screen widget, your own places, an opened timer and a 6-month report is a subscription at $3.79 a month or $23.99 a year in the US (prices vary by country). The free version shows ads; Pro is ad-free. We build this app ourselves; on Google Play it is listed under the developer name InfinityAkhi.
Screenshots
Frequently asked questions
Can I eat food after the use by date?
No. A use by date marks the safety limit for foods that go off quickly. After it, do not eat the product, even if it looks and smells fine.
Does the best before date still apply after opening?
No. It refers to the unopened pack stored as directed. Once opened, follow the label, for example “once opened, eat within 3 days”.
Does Vorra read US date formats?
Yes. Vorra reads formats such as 12/2026, 2026-12-31 and labels like BB or EXP. You can set how dates are printed where you live, and correct a date before saving if the camera got it wrong.
Can I track medicine and cosmetics too?
Yes. Vorra is made for anything with a date on it, including medicine, cosmetics, baby food, pet food and contact lenses.
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