Day date labelling
Day Date Labels for Professional Kitchen Prep
Replace handwritten day dates with consistent, legible prep labels that include product names, use-by dates and operator details — printed in seconds from your kitchen.
What are day date labels in a commercial kitchen?
Day date labels are used throughout UK hospitality kitchens to show when a product was prepared or opened, and when it must be used by. They are essential for sandwiches, fillings, sauces, proteins and batch prep held in fridges or on the pass.
Clear day dating helps teams follow stock rotation, reduces waste and demonstrates food safety discipline during EHO visits.
Day date vs best-before labelling
Day date labels typically record preparation or opening dates alongside a use-by or discard time. Best-before labelling applies to retail shelf life and is handled differently. In kitchen prep, day dating focuses on safe rotation inside your operation.
When EHOs expect clear date coding
Environmental health officers look for readable dates, identifiable products and evidence that staff follow consistent labelling standards. Illegible handwriting or missing product names are common inspection findings.
Why handwritten day dates cause compliance risk
Marker pens fade in cold stores, labels smudge during service and busy shifts lead to inconsistent formats. When every chef writes dates differently, accountability breaks down and audit records are harder to reconstruct.
Printed day date labels remove ambiguity and give managers confidence that prep standards are being followed across every shift.
How The Prep Tag prints day date labels automatically
The Prep Tag connects your product library to fast kitchen printing. Select a product on your Android device, choose the day date label type and print to a Bluetooth thermal printer without leaving the prep area.
Product library and allergen data
Build products once in your dashboard with allergens, ingredients and label templates. Updates sync instantly to every connected kitchen device.
Bluetooth thermal printing from Android devices
Use tablets or phones your team already works with, paired to portable thermal printers. No proprietary hardware lock-in required.
What appears on a Prep Tag day date label
Each label can include the product name, day or date prepared, use-by information, operator name and your kitchen branding — formatted consistently every time.
Who uses day date labels?
Restaurants and pub kitchens
Service kitchens use day date labels for prep containers, sauces, proteins and sandwich fillings held for same-day or next-day service.
Cafés, bakeries and catering prep
High-volume prep teams rely on day dating for batch production, cold storage and dispatch to multiple service points or event sites.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the difference between day date labels and day dot labels?
- Day date labels show specific dates, product names and use-by information. Day dot labels use colour-coded stickers for the day of the week. The Prep Tag supports printed day labels that are clearer and auditable.
- Can I include allergen information on day date labels?
- Yes. Product allergen data is stored in your library and can appear on compatible label templates to support Natasha's Law compliance.
- Do I need special printers for day date labels?
- The Prep Tag works with common Bluetooth thermal printers used in hospitality kitchens, paired to Android tablets or phones.
- Are printed day date labels suitable for EHO inspections?
- Consistent printed labels with clear dates and product identification help demonstrate structured food safety controls during inspections.
- Can multi-site groups use the same day date templates?
- Yes. Product and label templates are managed centrally and sync across every connected site in your group.
Related solutions
Start labelling prep with confidence today
Try The Prep Tag free for 14 days. Print professional day date labels without a credit card.