diff --git a/post.go b/post.go
index 242ffd7..3bb2e59 100644
--- a/post.go
+++ b/post.go
@@ -28,10 +28,62 @@ type Post struct {
 }
 
 type PostMeta struct {
-	Title   string   `yaml:"title"`
-	Aliases []string `yaml:"aliases"`
-	Date    string   `yaml:"date"`
-	Draft   bool     `yaml:"draft"`
+	Title   string    `yaml:"title"`
+	Aliases []string  `yaml:"aliases"`
+	Date    time.Time `yaml:"date"`
+	Draft   bool      `yaml:"draft"`
+}
+
+func (pm *PostMeta) UnmarshalYAML(unmarshal func(interface{}) error) error {
+	type T struct {
+		Title   string   `yaml:"title"`
+		Aliases []string `yaml:"aliases"`
+		Draft   bool     `yaml:"draft"`
+	}
+	type S struct {
+		Date string `yaml:"date"`
+	}
+
+	var t T
+	var s S
+	if err := unmarshal(&t); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	if err := unmarshal(&s); err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+
+	pm.Title = t.Title
+	pm.Aliases = t.Aliases
+	pm.Draft = t.Draft
+
+	possibleFormats := []string{
+		"2006-01-02",
+		time.Layout,
+		time.ANSIC,
+		time.UnixDate,
+		time.RubyDate,
+		time.RFC822,
+		time.RFC822Z,
+		time.RFC850,
+		time.RFC1123,
+		time.RFC1123Z,
+		time.RFC3339,
+		time.RFC3339Nano,
+		time.Stamp,
+		time.StampMilli,
+		time.StampMicro,
+		time.StampNano,
+	}
+
+	for _, format := range possibleFormats {
+		if t, err := time.Parse(format, s.Date); err == nil {
+			pm.Date = t
+			break
+		}
+	}
+
+	return nil
 }
 
 type PostWebmetions struct {
diff --git a/post_test.go b/post_test.go
index 97fcc89..a2217dc 100644
--- a/post_test.go
+++ b/post_test.go
@@ -156,7 +156,7 @@ func TestLoadMeta(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("Expected title: %v, got %v", []string{"foo/bar/"}, post.Meta().Aliases)
 	}
 
-	if post.Meta().Date != "Wed, 17 Aug 2022 10:50:02 +0000" {
+	if post.Meta().Date.Format(time.RFC1123Z) != "Wed, 17 Aug 2022 10:50:02 +0000" {
 		t.Errorf("Expected title: %s, got %s", "Wed, 17 Aug 2022 10:50:02 +0000", post.Meta().Title)
 	}
 
diff --git a/rss.go b/rss.go
index 68405f6..f91f607 100644
--- a/rss.go
+++ b/rss.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package owl
 import (
 	"bytes"
 	"encoding/xml"
+	"time"
 )
 
 type RSS struct {
@@ -46,7 +47,7 @@ func RenderRSSFeed(user User) (string, error) {
 			Guid:    post.FullUrl(),
 			Title:   post.Title(),
 			Link:    post.FullUrl(),
-			PubDate: meta.Date,
+			PubDate: meta.Date.Format(time.RFC1123Z),
 		})
 	}
 
diff --git a/rss_test.go b/rss_test.go
index 6073cef..fa86cd2 100644
--- a/rss_test.go
+++ b/rss_test.go
@@ -71,7 +71,7 @@ func TestRenderRSSFeedPostData(t *testing.T) {
 	if !strings.Contains(res, post.FullUrl()) {
 		t.Error("SubTitle not rendered. Got: " + res)
 	}
-	if !strings.Contains(res, "2015-01-01") {
+	if !strings.Contains(res, "Thu, 01 Jan 2015 00:00:00 +0000") {
 		t.Error("Date not rendered. Got: " + res)
 	}
 }
diff --git a/user.go b/user.go
index fbff29e..8bb5ce7 100644
--- a/user.go
+++ b/user.go
@@ -110,12 +110,7 @@ func (user User) Posts() ([]*Post, error) {
 	postDates := make([]PostWithDate, len(posts))
 	for i, post := range posts {
 		meta := post.Meta()
-		date, err := time.Parse(time.RFC1123Z, meta.Date)
-		if err != nil {
-			// invalid date -> use 1970-01-01
-			date = time.Time{}
-		}
-		postDates[i] = PostWithDate{post: post, date: date}
+		postDates[i] = PostWithDate{post: post, date: meta.Date}
 	}
 
 	// sort posts by date
@@ -162,11 +157,21 @@ func (user User) CreateNewPost(title string) (Post, error) {
 		}
 	}
 	post := Post{user: &user, id: folder_name, title: title}
+	meta := PostMeta{
+		Title:   title,
+		Date:    time.Now(),
+		Aliases: []string{},
+		Draft:   false,
+	}
 
 	initial_content := ""
 	initial_content += "---\n"
-	initial_content += "title: " + title + "\n"
-	initial_content += "date: " + time.Now().UTC().Format(time.RFC1123Z) + "\n"
+	// write meta
+	meta_bytes, err := yaml.Marshal(meta)
+	if err != nil {
+		return Post{}, err
+	}
+	initial_content += string(meta_bytes)
 	initial_content += "---\n"
 	initial_content += "\n"
 	initial_content += "Write your post here.\n"
diff --git a/user_test.go b/user_test.go
index 3dacfdb..0906f0b 100644
--- a/user_test.go
+++ b/user_test.go
@@ -42,8 +42,8 @@ func TestCreateNewPostAddsDateToMetaBlock(t *testing.T) {
 	posts, _ := user.Posts()
 	post, _ := user.GetPost(posts[0].Id())
 	meta := post.Meta()
-	if meta.Date == "" {
-		t.Error("Found no date. Got: " + meta.Date)
+	if meta.Date.IsZero() {
+		t.Errorf("Found no date. Got: %v", meta.Date)
 	}
 }