Ingredient Expiry Tracking (FEFO) Guide

The Cost Nobody Sees on the Bill

Every restaurant throws away some stock that expired before it was used — paneer past its date, sauces opened too long ago, dairy forgotten at the back of the fridge. Because this loss never appears on a sales report, it is easy to underestimate.

It also carries a risk bigger than cost: serving an ingredient past its safe date.

FIFO vs FEFO

Most kitchens are taught FIFO — First In, First Out: use the oldest delivery first. That works when every delivery has a similar shelf life.

FEFO — First Expired, First Out — uses the expiry date instead. If a batch that arrived today expires before one that arrived last week, FEFO says use today's batch first. For perishables with varied shelf lives, FEFO is the safer rule.

Why Batch-Level Tracking Matters

Suppose you receive 10 kg of paneer on Monday and another 10 kg on Wednesday. If your system only knows "20 kg of paneer", it can't tell you that the Monday batch expires tomorrow.

Tracking stock by batch — each delivery with its own quantity and expiry date — makes the answer obvious: use the Monday batch first, and if it won't all be used in time, plan a special or reduce the next order.

A Practical Expiry Routine

• •Record expiry dates at goods receipt. When stock arrives, enter the batch and its expiry date — not later.
• •Label physically as well. Date labels on containers help kitchen staff follow FEFO during a rush.
• •Check near-expiry items daily. A short list each morning is enough.
• •Act early. Near-expiry stock can go into specials, staff meals or prep for high-volume dishes.
• •Write off expired stock properly. Remove it from use and record the write-off with a reason, so stock levels stay true.
• •Review monthly. If the same items expire again and again, you are over-ordering them.

What Expiry Data Tells You

Expiry write-offs are a direct signal about purchasing. Repeated losses on the same item mean the order size, supplier pack size or menu demand needs another look. Combined with waste tracking, it shows how much stock is being lost before it is ever sold.

Setting Up Expiry Tracking

• •1. Identify high-risk items — Dairy, meat, seafood, sauces, bakery items and anything with a short shelf life.
• •2. Record the expiry date on receipt of every batch of these items.
• •3. Label storage clearly with the received and expiry dates.
• •4. Arrange shelves so the earliest-expiring stock sits in front.
• •5. Check daily for anything expiring in the next two or three days.

An Example

A café receives cream twice a week. Without dates on the cartons, staff used whichever carton was in front, and older cartons at the back kept expiring. After labelling each delivery and storing by expiry date, almost no cream went to waste, and the café started using near-expiry cream in daily specials.

Common Mistakes

• •Recording only the delivery date, not the expiry date.
• •Mixing batches in one container.
• •Checking expiry weekly for items that last only a few days.
• •Throwing away stock without recording it as wastage.

Using Expiry Data for Better Purchasing

If the same items keep expiring, order smaller quantities more often. If an item never comes close to expiry, you may be able to order larger quantities at a better price. Expiry records turn into better purchase decisions.

Key Takeaways

• •FEFO — first expiry, first out — is better than FIFO for perishable items.
• •Track expiry dates at batch level for high-risk ingredients.
• •Label and arrange storage so the earliest-expiring stock is used first.
• •Use near-expiry items in specials, and record anything thrown away.

How RasoeeCloud Helps

RasoeeCloud tracks inventory in batches with expiry dates, flags stock that is nearing expiry through a daily check, and supports writing off expired stock with a recorded reason so your inventory stays accurate.

Related reading: Restaurant Waste Tracking & Food Cost Control and Restaurant Stock Audit: Closing Inventory Gaps.

Start your 7-day free trial at rasoeecloud.com and record expiry dates on your next delivery.