Frozen cookie dough question (fundraiser)

[Silent1CB]

Good advice from someone who worked there.

I was thinking perhaps you could e-mail the company and explain exactly how long your dough was out of the freezer. Ask if they recommend you use it or toss it. You might also be able to work out a deal to get it replace.

I would, but I don't feel the company did anything wrong. They delivered a frozen product to the school. School got it to the parents timely (I'm assuming)...and its after that I'm not sure. I DO KNOW that our own (DH's) handling of it was probably the worst part of it, so for that, no, the company does not owe us anything. Maybe it would have been nice for coworker to point out to DH that is was a frozen product. DH says he thought it was a mix & had no idea. Again, we don't have kids, we don't buy this stuff, and he's a guy. LOL

 

[Silent1CB]

Consider it a donation to the fundraiser.

We already did.

Honestly, I'm really trying to lose weight. If I baked them, you know I'm the one who was going to end up eating them. LOL I don't need them.

 

[laurie31]

I would, but I don't feel the company did anything wrong. They delivered a frozen product to the school. School got it to the parents timely (I'm assuming)...and its after that I'm not sure. I DO KNOW that our own (DH's) handling of it was probably the worst part of it, so for that, no, the company does not owe us anything. Maybe it would have been nice for coworker to point out to DH that is was a frozen product. DH says he thought it was a mix & had no idea. Again, we don't have kids, we don't buy this stuff, and he's a guy. LOL

First off, thanks for clarifying this!! I have been racking my brain trying to understand how anyone, Y chromosome or not, could think that cookie dough didn't need to be kept cold. Now I get it! And also...the "in the car all day" bit... You were right for tossing it! I was thinking it was in his office for a few hours and the chunks were likely still cold.

(although I'm still going to have to find out how long you have to maintain the 160 temp to kill samonella - just for my own curiosity - lol!)

 

[Silent1CB]

First off, thanks for clarifying this!! I have been racking my brain trying to understand how anyone, Y chromosome or not, could think that cookie dough didn't need to be kept cold. Now I get it! And also...the "in the car all day" bit... You were right for tossing it! I was thinking it was in his office for a few hours and the chunks were likely still cold.

(although I'm still going to have to find out how long you have to maintain the 160 temp to kill samonella - just for my own curiosity - lol!)

Well, I'm still trying to figure out how he thought DOUGH was a MIX, but I'm done asking him questions about this. LOL The answers aren't reassuring me on his brain level function as he ages.

 

[Imzadi]

(although I'm still going to have to find out how long you have to maintain the 160 temp to kill samonella - just for my own curiosity - lol!)

Please post when you find out. I'm too tired to Goggle for it at the moment... although I did have enough energy to reach into the cupboard for a cookie a little while ago.

 

[3boymthr]

Okay, now I'm really really glad we didn't do this fund raiser when the papers came home from school. Into the recycle bin they went.

 

[legs22]

DD is doing this fundraiser now. It says in the brochure that "All products may be refrozen". So I am assuming it is okay if the item has thawed but is still cold.
But the school did not let us know how these kids are getting all these items home. From reading here, I guess I will have to leave work early and get them. Then I will need to store them until the next day when I deliver to work. Where will I store them??? I have a side by side.
I wish I had thought of this at the beginning. Next year, I will skip this.

 

[Imzadi]

DD is doing this fundraiser now. It says in the brochure that "All products may be refrozen". So I am assuming it is okay if the item has thawed but is still cold.

The general rule is if the item still has ice crystals on it, meaning it is still pretty much in a frozen state, it can be put back in the freezer. But if the food has thawed past the ice crystal stage, no, it shouldn't be. So that word, "refrozen" as you are describing it is inaccurate. If you get to the food before it thaws, you are fine.

ETA: You didn't mention what the product is. If it's something like those squeezable ice pops in individual plastic pouches, and there is nothing in them that would be harmful if they fully melted, then yes, you can refreeze them without a problem.

Also, some stores like to keep shelf stable items in refrigerated sections, even though they don't have to be. Like: some soy milks, puddings, and shelf stable (by packaging) cow's milk. My mom likes a particular box of tofu that we usually find in the refrigerated section, even though it doesn't have to be stored there.

 

[RadioNate]

I was all for cooking and eating them until you said he left it in the car all day. Nope. Glad you tossed it.

I like this fundraiser but we never sell to anyone but ourselves.

Our kids don't bring the items home. Parents pick up one evening. Being the only one to order assures that I don't have to risk delivery to anyone else.

 

[Silent1CB]

DD is doing this fundraiser now. It says in the brochure that "All products may be refrozen". So I am assuming it is okay if the item has thawed but is still cold.
But the school did not let us know how these kids are getting all these items home. From reading here, I guess I will have to leave work early and get them. Then I will need to store them until the next day when I deliver to work. Where will I store them??? I have a side by side.
I wish I had thought of this at the beginning. Next year, I will skip this.

Go look at the delivery video I posted near beginning of the thread. It shows parents going to pick up frozen products. I don't think they are sending kids home with these cases of food.

 

[laurie31]

DD is doing this fundraiser now. It says in the brochure that "All products may be refrozen". So I am assuming it is okay if the item has thawed but is still cold.
But the school did not let us know how these kids are getting all these items home. From reading here, I guess I will have to leave work early and get them. Then I will need to store them until the next day when I deliver to work. Where will I store them??? I have a side by side.
I wish I had thought of this at the beginning. Next year, I will skip this.

The school ideally should have included the pick-up info with the order packet (so you could go...hmmmm, I can't be there on X date at X o'clock, so we'll skip this one). However, our pick-ups have been timed with working parents in mind. I think it's been from 4-6pm or something, so parents picking up kids at afterschool care can pick up their cookie dough too. Call the school office and find out. You shouldn't have to take off work for a school fundraiser.

As for storage, I foresee that you will be cleaning out your freezer in the near future.

 

[laurie31]

Please post when you find out. I'm too tired to Goggle for it at the moment... although I did have enough energy to reach into the cupboard for a cookie a little while ago.

Imzadi - wow, it's harder to find than I thought. So far, every site just says to prevent samonella, food should be cooked "properly" but doesn't elaborate.

Such as this:

Salmonella bacteria are killed when food is thoroughly cooked. This means cooking ground beef to at least 160 degrees and making sure all food is cooked properly.

Ummm....okay. What if I don't know what "proper" is?? LOL!


Ah- HA! Score, with the USDA!

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/factsheets/salmonella_questions_&_answers/index.asp

Q. How can consumers prevent salmonellosis?

A. Bacteria on raw foods of animal origin do not have to cause illness. The key to preventing illness at home, in a restaurant, at a church picnic, or anywhere else is to prevent the bacteria from growing to high levels and to destroy the bacteria through cooking to a safe minimum internal temperature. Follow these guidelines for safe food preparation:


COOK: Cook to Safe Temperatures
Use a clean food thermometer when measuring the internal temperature of meat, poultry, casseroles, and other foods to make sure they have reached a safe minimum internal temperature:
Beef, veal, and lamb steaks, roasts, and chops to 145 °F.
All cuts of pork to 160 °F.
Ground beef, veal and lamb to 160 °F.
Egg dishes, casseroles to 160 °F.
All poultry should reach a safe minimum internal temperature of 165 °F.
Stuffed poultry is not recommended. Cook stuffing separately to 165 °F.
Leftovers to 165 °F.
Fish should reach 145 °F as measured with a food thermometer.
Bring sauces, soups, and gravy to a boil when reheating.
Reheat other leftovers thoroughly to at least 165 °F.

So it looks like once the food is brought to the appropriate internal temp, then the bacteria is destroyed.

However, I still wouldn't be eating anything that sat in the car all day!

OP, tell your DH that next time he should stick to the wrapping paper fundraisers! LOL!!

 

[lovetoscrap]

I am in charge of Fundraising for our school and have talked to MANY of the reps for these types of companies. They have all said that while the product needs to be frozen (usually for best quality and so it lasts for a long time) they are made to be safe if they sit out for up to about 8 hours. The companies that make these know that these types of situations will happen and very often do. They wouldn't stay in business if numerous people were getting sick during each sale.

Chances are good that the eggs and milk in them were actually powdered products and not a health hazzard.

I would call the company, and ask them what they recommend.

 

[Imzadi]

So it looks like once the food is brought to the appropriate internal temp, then the bacteria is destroyed.

Thanks Laurie, for doing the research. That's good to know.

 

[Just Jan]

I would, but I feel part of the error was DH's for leaving it in the car all day since he didn't know it was a frozen product. No idea where sales center is. We are in MA also however.

Really, I'm fine with just throwing it out.

The Sales Center is in South Easton, MA in the Industrial park off of Rte 123 and 138 depending which street you enter off of. You could throw a stone to it from Stonehill College in Easton.

You can also walk into the sales center and buy a case of cookie dough (nuggets) for approx $55.00 depending on the flavor.
That was a huge hit when I baked a case and brought them to my daughter and the girls on her dorm floor her freshman year of college!

 

[3boymthr]

The Sales Center is in South Easton, MA in the Industrial park off of Rte 123 and 138 depending which street you enter off of. You could throw a stone to it from Stonehill College in Easton

OOOH. I used to work in that Industrial Park while I was a student at Stonehill. Small World.

 

[Frank Thomas]

Thank goodness todays cookie dough fundraisers are usually shelf stable for up to 21 days. This means parents don't have to stress out about getting them in the freezer immediately.

The reason is they don't use eggs that spoil.

However, it s smart to read the instructions what the box of cookie dough says because store bought dough still may have eggs in them.

Source: fundraisingzone.com/does-neighbors-cookie-dough-need-to-be-refrigerated/

 

[NYCgrrl]

Let’s see. He got the dough (frozen or not) in the morning and then didn’t store it properly until he got home.
Yes, it is now garbage, unfortunately.

I can take some educated guesses/chances at times but sorry this isn’t one of them.

 

[PollyannaMom]

The Sales Center is in South Easton, MA in the Industrial park off of Rte 123 and 138 depending which street you enter off of. You could throw a stone to it from Stonehill College in Easton.

You can also walk into the sales center and buy a case of cookie dough (nuggets) for approx $55.00 depending on the flavor.
That was a huge hit when I baked a case and brought them to my daughter and the girls on her dorm floor her freshman year of college!

Oooh, I had no idea about that!! (The distribution place or that you can buy them directly.) Yum!!!

 

[mjkacmom]

Let’s see. He got the dough (frozen or not) in the morning and then didn’t store it properly until he got home.
Yes, it is now garbage, unfortunately.

I can take some educated guesses/chances at times but sorry this isn’t one of them.

Considering the dough is now 15 years old, I’d toss it.