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Original poster

Panicking, ate rice left out overnight

28 replies

Ihaveruinedeverything · 25/12/2025 08:39

Hi sorry I don't know an AIBU question to ask, I'm posting here for traffic and I am so anxious I can't think what section to post this in sorry.

I got up at half seven this morning and we had paella last night for dinner and my sister really enjoyed it and wanted to keep the rest and left it out on the kitchen worktop last night and this morning I have had several large spoonfuls of it! I don't know why I was so stupid and I am panicking what's going to happen. I tried to make myself vomit by putting my fingers in my throat and drinking salty water but nothing worked and I am panicking I am going to get sick and ruin today when I have been really looking forward to today with all my family I hardly see. I don't have a clue if there is anything I can do?

OP posts:
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UxmalFan · 25/12/2025 10:14

Youll be fine.

UmmH · 25/12/2025 10:11

If anything it would be all the shellfish that could make one sick. But if you don't feel sick then you aren't sick and shouldn't make yourself sick with salt water. I never put rice in the fridge if I'm going to eat it again the following day because i don't like how it makes the grains clump together.

Enjoy your day with your family.

pottylolly · 25/12/2025 10:00

If rice that was left out killed people then the region from India to Japan wouldn’t have the highest populations & highest life expectancies of the world.

winterbluess · 25/12/2025 09:57

KimberleyClark · 25/12/2025 08:42

Isn’t it reheating cooked rice that’s the problem? Eating it cold should be fine.

No, it's the not storing it correctly between cooking and reheating that's the problem

winterbluess · 25/12/2025 09:56

Yeah you really shouldn't eat rice left out at room temperature!! But seeing as people seem to do it all the time (God knows why, they presumably have a fridge??) You might be totally fine

TamarindCottage · 25/12/2025 09:50

Ihaveruinedeverything · 25/12/2025 08:39

Hi sorry I don't know an AIBU question to ask, I'm posting here for traffic and I am so anxious I can't think what section to post this in sorry.

I got up at half seven this morning and we had paella last night for dinner and my sister really enjoyed it and wanted to keep the rest and left it out on the kitchen worktop last night and this morning I have had several large spoonfuls of it! I don't know why I was so stupid and I am panicking what's going to happen. I tried to make myself vomit by putting my fingers in my throat and drinking salty water but nothing worked and I am panicking I am going to get sick and ruin today when I have been really looking forward to today with all my family I hardly see. I don't have a clue if there is anything I can do?

If you feel okay then what’s the issue?

aperollingintotheweekend · 25/12/2025 09:49

What’s going to happen = big fat nothing!

Sorry but you really are overreacting on this one. You’ll be fine :)

Bjorkdidit · 25/12/2025 09:47

TheSweetestCon · 25/12/2025 09:03

Jesus, how many of these panicky threads have we had this week alone?

It's amazing that any of us are still standing after all the incredibly poisonous (source: The Internet) substances we unthinkingly ingest every day.

Get ready for everyone throwing away three quarters of their turkey tomorrow morning because it was out overnight or even just a few hours this afternoon.

Bjorkdidit · 25/12/2025 09:45

DollarsSign · 25/12/2025 08:58

Only in England/mumsnet we have this mortal panic over hours old rice

Im also half non-white heritage and rice is cooked in massive pots too big for the fridge. It’s left out overnight and maybe a day later.

Drinking salt water and sticking finger down your throat? Why oh why

Exactly. MN baffles me with its fear of food poisoning from eating certain foods that have been out of the fridge for not very long.

I know it can happen but the risk must be so low its not worth worrying about.

I ignore all the rules that MN is convinced will poison you and have not been ill for decades. The last time was almost certainly due to a prawn sandwich from my work canteen over 30 years ago (I remember because I'd been in the job less than a month and had to take several days off sick).

Isobel201 · 25/12/2025 09:30

KimberleyClark · 25/12/2025 08:42

Isn’t it reheating cooked rice that’s the problem? Eating it cold should be fine.

yes you have to reheat it properly, otherwise that's the dangerous time to eat it.

dottiedodah · 25/12/2025 09:27

Well we are on SC here and very chilly! I think you will be fine.Try to relax and have a good day.Unless you left it on a radiator on high! No salty water though

MasterBeth · 25/12/2025 09:04

It said online this would cause food poisoning.

I bet it didn't. I bet it said may or could, and I bet it also talked about reheating.

TheSweetestCon · 25/12/2025 09:03

Jesus, how many of these panicky threads have we had this week alone?

It's amazing that any of us are still standing after all the incredibly poisonous (source: The Internet) substances we unthinkingly ingest every day.

Original poster
Ihaveruinedeverything · 25/12/2025 09:00

Thank you so much everybody for your replies and your time, I really do appreciate it. I was panicking because it was just left out overnight on the worktop, not in the fridge, and it said online this would cause food poisoning. Guess I'll just have to hope for the best and wait and see what happens.

@chickenfucker thinking logically is not a skill I apparently possess 😅

OP posts:
DollarsSign · 25/12/2025 08:58

Only in England/mumsnet we have this mortal panic over hours old rice

Im also half non-white heritage and rice is cooked in massive pots too big for the fridge. It’s left out overnight and maybe a day later.

Drinking salt water and sticking finger down your throat? Why oh why

lucie62 · 25/12/2025 08:56

Same as the PP, I eat leftover rice all the time, and even reheat it and add egg! You will be fine!

chickenfucker · 25/12/2025 08:48

If you are sick it will be from the salt water, what were you thinking?

Enko · 25/12/2025 08:48

You will be fine. Stop drinking salty water or trying to make yourself sick..

Do you often suffer from anxiety as I would say salt water and trying to make yourself sick is an extreme reaction to some left overs. Perhaps consider if you need some counselling for dealing with this in the new year.

Cheese55 · 25/12/2025 08:47

I always eat left over rice. No problems

Simonjt · 25/12/2025 08:47

The rice is fine, I’m South Asian, I cook rice once a week and eat it for the week, its often left out of the fridge for long periods.

You will however give yourself diarrhoea from drinking salt water.

MasterBeth · 25/12/2025 08:46

It's rice, not ricin.

Holluschickie · 25/12/2025 08:46

You are likely to give yourself salt poisoning by drinking salt water.

DappledThings · 25/12/2025 08:45

You're more likely to make yourself sick with stress than the actual rice. Forget it and crack on with your day, you'll be fine.

Namechanged47 · 25/12/2025 08:44

With the others.
I do this all the time with leftover rice or risotto, it's never been an issue.

Stop drinking salty water, that really will make you feel ill, and possibly give you diarrhoea, because if it's similar salt concentration to your body, you won't absorb it and the water will go straight through and exit in a way you likely weren't expecting.