[D] TED-Ed: Food Expiration Dates Don't Mean What You Think

LET'S UNLOCK WORDS AND PHRASES 🔐

edible

[ 'ed-uh-buhl ]

adjective

- suitable or safe for eating

The fruit may look bruised, but it's still edible.

incentivize

[ in-'sen-ti-vahyz ]

verb

- to make someone want to do something

The company offers bonuses to incentivize employees to meet their targets.

offender

[ uh-'fen-der ]

noun

- a person who is guilty of a crime

He was caught speeding and was issued a ticket for being a traffic offender.

federal

[ 'fed-er-uhl ]

adjective

- relating to the central government, and not to the government of a region, of some countries such as the U.S.

The federal government is responsible for creating national policies and laws.

interpret

[ in-'tur-prit ]

verb

- to decide what the intended meaning of something is

Can you help me interpret the instructions on this manual?

LET'S TAKE A LOOK! [ FULL CLIP ]

What is the video all about? Choose two statements that refer to the main ideas of the video.

1. The USDA recommends consuming or freezing meat within days of purchase.

2. Food waste is a significant issue globally, with the United States being a major contributor.

3. Removing date labels on produce has been proven to increase consumer confidence in assessing freshness.

4. Date labelling on food products is often misleading and does not necessarily indicate food safety accurately.

LET'S PRACTICE

Direction: Watch the clip of the video and complete the following lines below with the missing phrases.

"In a 2019 survey of over 1,000 Americans, more than 70% said they use date labels to decide if food is . "
" To avoid all this waste, many experts to require that labels use one of two standardized phrases. "
"This solution isn't perfect, but some US researchers estimate that setting these standards at a could prevent roughly 398,000 tons of food waste annually. "
"Grocers could also try removing date labels on produce, as several US supermarket chains have done to encourage consumers to use their . "
"Many experts also advocate for policies incentivizing grocers and restaurants to . "

Direction: Watch the clip again and answer the following questions. Choose the correct answer from the choices given.

What percentage of surveyed Americans said they use date labels to determine food edibility?
a. Over 50%
b. Over 70%
c. Over 60%
What do many experts propose to reduce food waste?
a. A ban on date labels for all food products
b. A requirement that all food be sold without expiration dates
c. Standardized phrases like "best if used by" and "use by"
How much food waste could be prevented annually by setting federal labeling standards?
a. Around 398,000 tons
b. Around 500,000 tons
c. Around 1 million tons
What action have some US supermarket chains taken to encourage consumers to rely on their judgment?
a. Offering free food safety training to shoppers
b. Providing detailed expiration charts
c. Removing date labels from produce
What is another policy experts recommend to reduce food waste?
a. Encouraging grocers and restaurants to donate unsold food
b. Mandating that consumers buy food in smaller portions
c. Banning restaurants from serving leftovers

LET'S DO THE CHALLENGE - FULL CLIP

Direction: Answer the following questions based on the video and let's check your comprehension.

What percentage of food waste in the United States comes from individual households?
What historical changes led to the confusion surrounding food freshness, and what system did grocers adopt in response to consumer demand in 1970s?
What was the purpose of implementing open dating in supermarkets?