Just wondering how everyone else understands Use by dates, particularly on meats and poultry...

Do you understand it to be 'cook by' - where as long as you cook it before the use by date, you can eat the leftovers after the use by date.

Or

Do you see it as truely 'use by' - must be eaten before then.

Just wondering, DH and I had a big debate over this one last night (our life is really interesting isn't it) and I'm still not convinced