Look on the bottom or sides of the meal and find a string of five numbers in a row. The first two numbers stand for the year, while the last three numbers represent the day of the year. For example, if the code was 11322, you would know that the food was manufactured on the 322 day of 2011, or November 22nd, 2011.

What is food date code?

The intention behind date coding is a simple matter of health and safety. A use-by or best-before date gives consumers a guide to the shelf-life of that food item. The Code states that all packaged foods with a shelf life of less than two years must have a date mark.