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Original poster

Forgot to put shopping away. AIBU to ask does it need to be thrown out?

60 replies

useorbin · 24/08/2024 18:31

We went shopping this afternoon and called into M&S for things for a quick dinner this evening. Totally forgot to put the shopping away so it’s all been inside a bag on the counter. Items taken out of the supermarket fridge at about 3pm and only just realised about the bag, so circa 3.5hrs out the fridge/freezer.

Some frozen oven chips, and DH got himself some chilled breaded chicken type strips. Rest of us are having veggie stuff from the freezer.

It feels like the chips have kept everything feeling quite cool, but are completely defrosted themselves.

From a food hygiene standpoint, are they still ok to eat? We’d be cooking soon. Mainly thinking of DHs chicken but also the chips that were next to it, whether they could be unsafe to eat having shared a bag with chicken getting warmer

Sorry if it’s rambly - rushing about! But WWYD mumsnetters?

OP posts:
HelenaWaiting · 24/08/2024 19:07

KirstenBlest · 24/08/2024 18:43

It's cool today so they should be OK. Don't freeze defrosted food. Chips for tea!

It isn't actually true that you can't refreeze defrosted food. The supposed health risks are a myth, and the cause of a lot of food waste. Most defrosted food can be refrozen, but can lose flavour or texture. As a rule of thumb I wouldn't refreeze meat or fish, but I'd refreeze bread and oven chips without a second thought. Refrozen ice cream would be perfectly safe to eat too, but if melted can split, and therefore isn't as nice.

LovedFedAndNoonesDead · 24/08/2024 19:06

Cook it following the instructions on the packaging and it will be fine. If worried, use a meat thermometer and make sure the internal temperature is over 75c when cooked.

We drove to Wales from Cornwall on Thursday and had a bag of food in the boot that went into the freezer on arrival and has been fine to use since arriving.

Original poster
useorbin · 24/08/2024 19:05

Georgyporky · 24/08/2024 19:03

DH didn't put HIS food away?

No. DH was carrying the other shopping bags from the car then got busy with housework when he got in, I was carrying the one bag- food shopping, went to put it away but put it down and got sidetracked by a phone call and never went back to it. Don’t be rude

OP posts:
Georgyporky · 24/08/2024 19:03

DH didn't put HIS food away?

Original poster
useorbin · 24/08/2024 19:00

Thanks everyone. Cooking and eating.

OP posts:
Aquamarine1029 · 24/08/2024 18:48

I genuinely think all of it is perfectly fine and I wouldn't hesitate to eat it.

TheKeatingFive · 24/08/2024 18:47

It'll be fine. Please don't waste good food.

Dragonsandcats · 24/08/2024 18:47

I’d eat it - especially as the chicken would have been made cooler by the chips.

SnakesAndArrows · 24/08/2024 18:47

donkies · 24/08/2024 18:46

I wouldn't eat the chicken after it had been out of the fridge more than a couple of hours.

Even if it had been sitting right next to a bag of thawing frozen chips?

donkies · 24/08/2024 18:46

I wouldn't eat the chicken after it had been out of the fridge more than a couple of hours.

SnakesAndArrows · 24/08/2024 18:45

The chips were frozen, so they will have kept the chicken quite cool. A couple of hours at room temperature is fine for the chicken anyway, if you make sure you cook it properly.

The chips… what could possibly happen to thawing chips within 3.5 hours? Personally I’d happily re-freeze the rest of the pack. The ones you’re going to eat will need a little less time to cook, and I’d make sure the oven is properly hot before you put them in so they don’t go soggy.

KirstenBlest · 24/08/2024 18:43

It's cool today so they should be OK. Don't freeze defrosted food. Chips for tea!

NetZeroZealot · 24/08/2024 18:43

Anything that is going to be cooked will be absolutely fine. Even the defrosted frozen chips, although the texture might be a bit odd.

By the way, the rule of thumb for leaving perishable foods (like sandwiches) at room temperature, is they are fine for up to 4 hours. And that's stuff that's not going to be cooked.

FacingTheWall · 24/08/2024 18:43

Potatoes are stored at room temperature, and even peeled ones are fine. The chips aren’t going to make you or anyone ill. And the frozen chips will have kept the chicken cooler too.

OneTC · 24/08/2024 18:41

useorbin · 24/08/2024 18:39

Would the chips be ok? Obviously they were in a separate bag but sitting on top of the chicken. I’m not worried for me more my DC. But appreciate it’s probably OTT to even have this thought in my head.

They will be fine. They're just chips

The chips will have been keeping the chicken cold enough.

If it looked like any packets had blown then I'd think about it

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 24/08/2024 18:40

well the frozen chips will have kept the chicken cooler for a while

Cosycore · 24/08/2024 18:40

I still think the raw chicken will be fine cooked

Original poster
useorbin · 24/08/2024 18:39

TickingAlongNicely · 24/08/2024 18:39

Chips will be fine cooked now but not any left over

Was chicken raw or cooked?

It’s raw 😅

OP posts:
Original poster
useorbin · 24/08/2024 18:39

OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 24/08/2024 18:38

Chips are made from potatoes, they have now thawed, Just cook for a little bit less time - so cooked and not burnt !

Breaded chicken - is it raw breaded chicken or precooked breaded chicken ?

I work in a supermarket, and chilled left behinds have to be back in the fridge with 20 mins, or they become ' waste '
now we all know it takes most people longer than 20 mins to buy their shopping / pack it and get home, whether it be by walking / catching a bus or driving.

Me ? personally, I would still eat the chicken.

Raw breaded I believe

OP posts:
TickingAlongNicely · 24/08/2024 18:39

Chips will be fine cooked now but not any left over

Was chicken raw or cooked?

Original poster
useorbin · 24/08/2024 18:39

Would the chips be ok? Obviously they were in a separate bag but sitting on top of the chicken. I’m not worried for me more my DC. But appreciate it’s probably OTT to even have this thought in my head.

OP posts:
OlderGlaswegianLivingInDevon · 24/08/2024 18:38

Chips are made from potatoes, they have now thawed, Just cook for a little bit less time - so cooked and not burnt !

Breaded chicken - is it raw breaded chicken or precooked breaded chicken ?

I work in a supermarket, and chilled left behinds have to be back in the fridge with 20 mins, or they become ' waste '
now we all know it takes most people longer than 20 mins to buy their shopping / pack it and get home, whether it be by walking / catching a bus or driving.

Me ? personally, I would still eat the chicken.

FacingTheWall · 24/08/2024 18:37

It’ll be absolutely fine.

Boredshitless1 · 24/08/2024 18:37

Cook it and eat it !

Andwegoroundagain · 24/08/2024 18:36

Just cook it all now , will be fine.