Day Dots and Food Labeling

Day dots are colored adhesive labels used to indicate the day of the week a food item was prepared or opened. Each color corresponds to a day: Monday is typically blue, Tuesday red, Wednesday green, and so on (systems vary by kitchen). The color system allows any cook to instantly identify the age of a product without reading a date.

Date labels provide more specific information: the exact date of preparation and the use-by date. For most prepared foods in a professional kitchen, the standard use-by period is 7 days from preparation, though this varies by item and local health code.

Every prepared food item in a professional kitchen must be labeled with: the name of the item, the date it was prepared, and the use-by date. This applies to everything — containers of sauce, prepped proteins, cut vegetables, portioned desserts, and opened commercial products.

The labeling system serves three functions. First, it enables FIFO rotation — cooks can see at a glance which container is oldest and should be used first. Second, it prevents the use of expired product — any item past its use-by date is immediately identifiable and can be discarded before it reaches a guest. Third, it provides documentation for health inspections — a properly labeled walk-in demonstrates that the kitchen has systems in place to control food safety.

Labeling also applies to allergen control. Items containing major allergens (nuts, shellfish, gluten, dairy, eggs) should be labeled to prevent cross-contamination and ensure that cooks handling them are aware of their allergen content.

The professional standard is simple: nothing goes into storage without a label. No exceptions. A container without a label is a container that must be thrown away — because without a label, there is no way to know when it was made or whether it is safe.