Be sure to inspect food carefully and look at dates before putting it into your basket. Foods that are past their peak can be bad for your health, which means you waste money.

This is when food is dated to show its freshness. Sell by date The last day a product should be sold if it is to remain fresh. Packed on date When the food was packaged. Best if used by date When you should use the food for its best quality. Expiry date The last date the food should be consumed.

 Inspect it for signs of freshness  Avoid bruised or wilted produce  Do not buy vegetables with sprouts  Look for items in season  Never buy cans that are dented or rusted

 Look at the colour – Look for bright red beef, poultry should be pinkish – some chicken may appear yellow.  Check the odor – Raw meat should have little odor. Fish should have a mild smell.  Check for cracks on eggs – open the carton and look for cracks  Examine parts of seafood – Eyes should be clear, not cloudy.

 Milk will either be sold as whole or low fat.  It will then be labeled as either pasteurized or homogenized.  Before buying any milk product check it carefully

 This includes bread, cereal, rice and pasta.  Look for whole grain products – Whole grain and bran give you more nutrients.  Check the label – Some grains e.g cereals are high in sugar or fat, read carefully.  Look for holes in packaging – if there are holes the product might be stale.

 Design a poster that could be used to inform people about how to make good choices about food quality.  You will use the information in this presentation to make your poster.  Your poster should include at least 6 pieces of factual information.