What should be labeled with a date in food storage?

Prepared foods and opened food items require labeling with a date in food storage because they are perishable and have a shorter shelf life compared to unopened canned goods and frozen food items. Proper dating helps to ensure that these foods are consumed while still safe and at their best quality.

Labeling prepared foods, such as leftovers, allows kitchen staff and consumers to keep track of their freshness and to follow the "first in, first out" principle. This principle promotes food safety by using older items before they go bad, thereby reducing the risk of foodborne illnesses that can occur from consuming spoiled food.

On the other hand, canned goods and frozen food items typically have longer shelf lives and may already have expiration dates or best-by dates provided by the manufacturer, making additional dating less critical for those items. Therefore, it's essential to prioritize the labeling of prepared and opened food items to maintain food safety standards in storage practices.