If your fridge was off for 24 hours what would you throw out?

[ElderAve]

I ask because a friend has just told me they had some sort of power-cut while they were away for a weekend, not sure exactly how long it lasted but it could be up to 24 hours and they've "had to throw out the entire contents of the fridge".

I was

I might chuck out prawns and maybe an open packet of ham that probably should have been used anyway but everything else, if it looked and smelt OK, I'd use.

She threw out the ketchup and salad cream I've never kept it in the fridge.

[TheLovleyChebbyMcGee]

I'd keep condiments, cheese, veg, jam, most things tbh, and would give most things a small to see if they were ok!

[PermanentTemporary]

Only raw meat/fish and even then only if it smelt.

Oh - leftover rice I would chuck however it smelt though.

[CaptainMyCaptain]

I would sniff things to check they were ok but probably throw out prawns. People lived for centuries without fridges.

[SpeedofaSloth]

I'd chuck it all TBH.

[BernardsarenotalwaysSaints]

Bot all of it, no.

Our fridge we went bang last year. I managed to order a new one for delivery the next day. Didn’t open either the fridge or the freezer (typically it was the first day of half term so I went to the shop for lunch bits & milk, just kept the milk in a sink of cold water). The replacement came around 25 hours later & was ready to go around 17 hours after that (didn’t need to let it settle for long). I’d say 90% of the fridge & around 70% of the freezer contents were completely fine.

[BernardsarenotalwaysSaints]

Not, not bot

[ItsJustTheOneSwanActually]

If the door had been shut all the time there's not that much that would need chucking IMO

[chuck7]

Only thing I’d chuck is raw meat and maybe milk?

[Palavah]

I agree with you. Sniff test and obvious risky things.

If the fridge door hasn't been opened and their heating wasn't on while they were away then it will have stayed cool.

[RainbowMum11]

If the fridge door hasn't been opened, I prob wouldn't throw anything out unless it smelt.

[Wallywobbles]

If the door was shut next to nothing.

[moobar]

Next to nothing.

For anyone saying everything, why? Genuine question. We live very rural, this happens once a month. In a heatwave in August I might think about some stuff but in January? Condiments that shouldn't be in fridge anyway?

[RhythimIsRhythim]

Everything pretty much, except maybe fresh fruits and veggies and (some condiments).

@moobar the reason is I have an autoimmune condition that affects my gut lining, so I am very susceptible to food poisoning. Any bouts of food poisoning then make the autoimmune condition worse, so it;s a vicious cycle. I am very, very careful with freshness/hygiene as a result.

[Wobba]

Nothing, maybe milk if it had gone off, unlikely with the door shut and it being January but would do the sniff test.

[followingonfromthat]

Milk, opened bag of salad leaves, raw meat, sliced cooked meat, leftovers.

Everything else should be fine. Unless it happened in the summer during a heatwave, in which case a few more things might get chucked as well.

[Selfsettling3]

Everything. I’ve a husband with automobile disease who takes immune suppressants, a young child and a baby. It ain’t worth the risk.

[handbagsatdawn33]

If the door was shut, the temp. would have stayed low anyway.

I'd chuck anything from the sea, open packets of ham etc,
Chicken also deteriorates quickly, but I'd use my nose on it before throwing it away.
I'd cook raw meat soon.

[CherryPavlova]

I throw everything out.

[TooGood2BeTrue]

Chuck:
Meat, cream, milk, salad, coleslaw, mayo, salad cream
Keep:
Fruit, veg, butter, jam, chutney, ketchup, thai paste

[ILoveAScotchEggMe]

I wouldn't chuck anything out. Modern fridges have a boatload of insulation.

[BigSandyBalls2015]

This happened to us last weekend ... I chucked the salmon but kept everything else inc chicken which we’ve since eaten and all ok

[Cordylina]

I’d keep hard cheese and whole veg. Everything else would go.

[ragged]

I would toss Only things that smelled or looked manky.