Freezer door left open - HELP!

[Tinkermommy]

So my freezer door was left open a crack all night. The items inside are still cold but not necessarily frozen.

I am tossing the raw meat, but what about things like boxed cooked items (mac and cheese, pizza, lasagna?).

Would you keep those or toss them?

I just went to Trader Joe's so it's pretty full and I would hate to throw it all away.

 

[happygirl]

So my freezer door was left open a crack all night. The items inside are still cold but not necessarily frozen.

I am tossing the raw meat, but what about things like boxed cooked items (mac and cheese, pizza, lasagna?).

Would you keep those or toss them?

I just went to Trader Joe's so it's pretty full and I would hate to throw it all away.

I wouldn't throw them away.

 

[wvjules]

I wouldn't toss the raw meat since it was still cold.

 

[minkydog]

As long as there are ice crystals in the food it is safe to refreeze. As long as the meat is still cold it will be safe to eat. You can cook it up and freeze it for later.

 

[rgf207]

if it was still cold, it should be fine. Just refreeze them

 

[ChrizJen]

I wouldn't toss the raw meat since it was still cold.

Yeah, as long as it's all still cold, I wouldn't throw any of it away.
I received a shipment of Omaha Steaks (well, I wasn't there to receive it...that was the problem), and the delivery guy left the cooler box on my front porch on a hot day.

Needless to say, all of the meat was thawed and the dry ice that it was packed in was melted. I called them and they said that as long as the meat was still cold to the touch, it was OK. (AND they sent me some free stuff! I love Omaha Steaks! )

Anyway, I would say that as long as it's all still cold, you're OK.

 

[Tinkermommy]

Thanks everyone!

I would have hated to waste all that food!

 

[jiminyC_fan]

OH MY, I hear ya. Our door was cracked for a couple of days. Now the freezer is making horrible noises. It's 13 years old so we are now waiting for a new freezer to be delivered.

 

[pixiewings71]

I would precook all the meat, then you can refreeze it. The packaged stuff, if it's still cold I would eat what I could for the next few nights to eat it up.

Good luck!!

 

[wvjules]

I would precook all the meat, then you can refreeze it. The packaged stuff, if it's still cold I would eat what I could for the next few nights to eat it up.

Good luck!!

Why would you pre-cook all the meat? If it is still cold it is safe to refreeze. It's like it was thawed in a refrigerator and perfectly acceptable to refreeze without having to cook it.

 

[goofyernmost]

I agree with the refreeze angle. As long as it was still cold it can be refrozen. And that is everything, meat, especially cookies etc. Not a problem at all. If it was completely thawed and warm then I would suggest losing the meat just as a safety precaution, but every thing else can be refrozen without any worry, thawed or not.

 

[lovesmurfs]

Wow -- I learned something! I had no idea meat could be refrozen! I knew veggies could, but I didn't know meat could be.

From the National Center for Home Food Preservation:

Can food be refrozen if it has thawed?
Foods can be refrozen if at least one ot these two conditions are met: 1) Foods have only partially thawed and still have ice crystals in the package; 2) The freezer temperature has remained at 40°F or below. Before using, check to see that color and odor of the food are good. Quality of the food will be lower.

 

[pixiewings71]

Why would you pre-cook all the meat? If it is still cold it is safe to refreeze. It's like it was thawed in a refrigerator and perfectly acceptable to refreeze without having to cook it.

Because, I personally do not trust refrozen meat. I don't refreeze meat when I thaw it in the fridge either. If I realize I won't use it, I cook it and then refreeze it. I would only "refreeze" it if it was still mostly frozen. The OP asked so I stated what I would do. It doesn't have to be what anyone else would do.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

My DH left the freezer part of the refrigerator standing open for a while...long enough for the ice bucket to have water standing in it. I pitched it all and started over.