With grocery prices rising, you might be wondering whether food expiration dates are really something you need to follow.

You see them on granola bags, cereal boxes and a whole range of pantry products -- but how much weight should you actually put on those dates?

“It’s ideal to know when that food is going to be best utilized by. Now, that’s where it gets a little tricky. So that’s just an estimate,” said Julia Zumpano, a registered dietitian with Cleveland Clinic.

Zumpano says there are three kinds of food expiration dates.

The first is “sell by,” which tells stores how long they should display an item for sale.

Then there’s “best by” or “best if used by,” which refers to when a product will have its best flavor and quality.

Finally, there’s “use by,” the last recommended day for a product to maintain peak quality.

“Shelf-stable items are usually the ones you can exceed their dates,” Zumpano said. “Things like dried goods, like rice and pasta and cereal, canned fruits and vegetables, beans -- things like that -- usually are pretty safe.”

She says to pay closer attention to expiration dates on perishable foods in the fridge, like meat and dairy. That’s where bacteria and mold are more likely to grow.

Zumpano recommends always using your senses. If you see mold, sliminess or discoloration, toss it. If it smells off, sour or moldy, throw it out. And if something doesn’t taste right, get rid of it.

“If it is past that date, using those senses — or if you feel better just tossing it, you can,” she said. “But the goal here is to reduce food waste.”

There are certain food items you should always pay attention to when it comes to expiration dates, including infant formula, which should never be used past its expiration date.

PEMBROKE PARK, Fla.