The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) estimates that, on average, each person in the United States throws out about 328 pounds of edible food each year. Food bought with the best　__1__　sits for weeks on end as busy consumers　__2__　it in the refrigerator and forget about it. And when it seems time to either eat it or　__3__　it, most people　__4__　the freshness dates (a.k.a. ‘use by’, ‘sell by’, and ‘best if used by’) printed on the packages.

　　But, these dates don't really.　__5__　food safety, nor do they mean　__6__　food is always bad. Poultry, seafood, and ground meats such as hamburger, have the shortest　__7__　lives. They should be　__8__　within two days of　__9__　if stored in the refrigerator. They last　__10__　six months in the freezer. Steak, beef,　__11__　, and other fresh-cut meats last a little longer--three to five days in the refrigerator and six months in the freezer.

　　The date　__12__　on milk products is set by the dairy. Most of the dates on dairy products are totally driven by　__13__　--not necessarily spoilage. In general, milk lasts five to seven days after the　__14__　date. Eggs generally have long shelf lives--three to five weeks from the time you take them home. Don't　__15__　your eggs just because they're past the expiration date;　__16__　one open first. If it still smells and looks good,　__17__　.

　　When you cook them, make sure you do so thoroughly. About 　__18__　every 10,000 eggs contains salmonella bacteria. Thorough cooking　__19__　salmonella. Once cooked, a boiled,　__20__　egg will last a week.