Expiration Date Calculator
This is the same on-device estimate PantryKit fills in when you add an item — a starting point you can always adjust. Packaging dates and your own senses come first.
How to estimate an expiry date
- 1Type the food you want to date.
- 2Choose the pantry, fridge or freezer.
- 3Set the day you bought or opened it — the estimated expiry date appears instantly.
A date beats a guess
“I'll use it soon” is how food ends up forgotten. Putting an actual date on something — even an estimated one — turns a vague intention into a deadline you can plan around. It's the difference between using that chicken on Thursday and finding it grey on Sunday.
Not sure where to store it for the longest life? Check Where to Store Food first, then come back to date it. For a fuller breakdown across all locations, use the Food Shelf Life Calculator.
Let the app do the dating
In PantryKit you don't even have to run this calculation — add an item and it pre-fills a sensible expiry date, then reminds you before the day arrives. This tool is simply that same estimate, available on the web.
Frequently asked questions
How does the expiry date get calculated?
It adds a typical shelf life for that food and storage location to the date you bought or opened it. It's the same on-device estimate PantryKit fills in automatically when you add an item.
Should I use the purchase date or the opened date?
Use whichever resets the clock. For sealed items, the purchase date is fine; for things that spoil faster once opened — milk, juice, sauces — use the day you opened them.
The date seems off for my food — can I change it?
Absolutely. This is an estimate to save you guessing. Packaging dates and your own senses always come first, and in the app you can set any date you like on an item.
Does storage location change the date?
Yes, a lot. The same food gets a much later expiry date in the freezer than in the fridge or pantry, so always pick the right spot.
Related tools
Food Waste Cost Calculator
See what the food you throw away really costs you each week, month and year — and how much you could save by wasting less.
SavingsFood Shelf Life Calculator
How long does food last? Pick a food and where you store it to see its typical shelf life and an estimated expiry date — pantry, fridge or freezer.
StorageWhere to Store Food
Not sure where a food belongs? See how long it lasts in the pantry, fridge and freezer, and where it keeps longest.
StorageStop throwing away food and money
PantryKit tracks what's in your pantry, fridge and freezer and warns you before it expires - so you waste less and save more, automatically.
Free to start · iPhone · Works fully offline