AIBU to eat the dinner I left out accidentally overnight?

WattThreeWords · 2026-09-09T10:44:13+00:00

Gnocchi bake. Gnocchi, pepper, olive oil, tomatoes. Out of oven 8pm. Realised at 6.30am I hadn’t put in fridge, so put it back then. AIBU to heat it up for dinner tonight? YABU - it’s full of toxins and you’re going to thrown your guts up YANBU - don’t waste that delicious dinner. Heat it up and enjoy

LorenaWood · 11/09/2026 10:45

MyPinkOtter · 11/09/2026 07:57

It always winds me up on these kinds of threads (and in real life) when people say ‘if it looks and smells ok’ then it’s fine to eat. You can’t see or smell the bacteria that potentially cause food poisoning.

Going by look, feel and smell is appropriate is some situations, like when when trying to decide if a raw potato is still ok to use or if a loaf of bread is past its best. It’s not going to tell you anything about a cooked dish that’s been left at room temperature for longer than the ‘safe window’.

I love that you're wound up by this 😂

Original poster

WattThreeWords · 11/09/2026 10:36

36 hours in and I’m still alive and kicking 🙌

OP posts:

MyPinkOtter · 11/09/2026 07:57

It always winds me up on these kinds of threads (and in real life) when people say ‘if it looks and smells ok’ then it’s fine to eat. You can’t see or smell the bacteria that potentially cause food poisoning.

Going by look, feel and smell is appropriate is some situations, like when when trying to decide if a raw potato is still ok to use or if a loaf of bread is past its best. It’s not going to tell you anything about a cooked dish that’s been left at room temperature for longer than the ‘safe window’.

Original poster

WattThreeWords · 10/09/2026 15:23

ZippyPeer · 10/09/2026 09:44

@wattthreewords how is the digestive system this morning, any consequences?

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so far, so good….still 48 hours or so before I can relax though 🫣

OP posts:

Comtesse · 10/09/2026 14:10

I would eat that.

UnderMirkwood · 10/09/2026 14:06

LorenaWood · 10/09/2026 08:58

For breakfast I ate the salmon I found from last night in the air fryer

goodbye

Oh you're hardcore, Respect.

Seziah · 10/09/2026 13:50

Are you still alive and well today? 🙈

SendforJulietOne · 10/09/2026 11:47

I would eat it.

Disclaimer: I am an absolute trash panda with scant regard for use-by dates/things being left out/eating leftovers that have been in the fridge way too long. I have had food poisoning.

DirtyBird · 10/09/2026 11:44

As long as it didn’t smell or look spoiled I would eat it.

Anywherebuthere · 10/09/2026 11:23

Was it uncovered?
Was it left in a warm or cold place?

CraftySeal · 10/09/2026 11:20

I'd eat it with no hesitation. Just reheat it thoroughly.

ZippyPeer · 10/09/2026 09:44

WattThreeWords · 09/09/2026 21:47

Oh the cheese gets mixed in afterwards, fresh with each portion (ricotta in this case)

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@wattthreewords how is the digestive system this morning, any consequences?

HangryBrickShark · 10/09/2026 09:05

LorenaWood · 10/09/2026 08:58

For breakfast I ate the salmon I found from last night in the air fryer

goodbye

It was nice to meet you......😉

LorenaWood · 10/09/2026 08:58

For breakfast I ate the salmon I found from last night in the air fryer

goodbye

Bigreddog25 · 10/09/2026 08:57

I'd eat it. I left cottage pie out overnight and ate that. Do it all the time tbh.
Never get poorly.
It's not exactly hot at night is it.

Edit- just make sure its properly heated through.

HangryBrickShark · 09/09/2026 23:24

No way would I. But my Mum lived to the ripe old age of 89 and would often leave a left over Sunday roast dinner she'd plated up for the next day out overnight, or in the bottom of the oven. That's what they did in those days.

Feejoah · 09/09/2026 23:13

Soverymuchfruit · 09/09/2026 15:02

My DH always leaves our leftovers out to cool down before putting in the fridge, sometimes remembers to put them in just before bed, usually doesn't. We always eat them. It had never occurred to me this was "grim" in the slightest. Perfectly fine.

Our food is all vegan. But so is the meal you're talking about. Those saying to chuck it are bonkers.

My friend and her husband got horrific food poisoning from a vegan cottage pie (made with lentils). She left it defrosting on the side all day and then heated up for dinner.

Mirrorlolo · 09/09/2026 21:52

I'd eat it no prob

minipie · 09/09/2026 21:50

If left out covered in a closed container, I’d nuke it in the oven or microwave, add cheese and happily eat.

However - if it was left uncovered I wouldn’t due to risk of flies having been on it.

Original poster

WattThreeWords · 09/09/2026 21:47

TheChosenTwo · 09/09/2026 21:26

I’d be fine to eat that. Although it sounds quite dull and to me a ‘bake’ usually has some kind of cheese!
But then I’m another one who’s pretty relaxed about this and I’ve never had a bout of food poisoning from memory.

Oh the cheese gets mixed in afterwards, fresh with each portion (ricotta in this case)

OP posts:

MyPinkOtter · 09/09/2026 21:33

You will probably be fine, but personally I wouldn’t be able to enjoy it knowing it had sat out all night. We have been getting a lot of flies in our kitchen over the summer and I wouldn’t be able to get past the thought of flies having landed on it overnight. So sadly I’d have to bin it, which is a shame as I really hate food waste!

TheChosenTwo · 09/09/2026 21:26

I’d be fine to eat that. Although it sounds quite dull and to me a ‘bake’ usually has some kind of cheese!
But then I’m another one who’s pretty relaxed about this and I’ve never had a bout of food poisoning from memory.

Raspberryripple11 · 09/09/2026 21:23

Toastietoastie · 09/09/2026 21:13

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

Even mild food poisoning can disrupt the gut microbiome, increasing your risk of IBS and potentially mental health issues.

Severe food poisoning can cause all sorts of horrible things like kidney damage, brain damage, chronic gut issues, autoimmune conditions; and if you’re pregnant, birth defects. (Not to mention death).

SeaToSki · 09/09/2026 21:22

No. Its high risk once its been in the ‘warm’ zone for more than 4 hours.

If you re heat it hot enough and long enough you will kill most live bacteria, but you wont get rid of heat resistant bacteria and the toxins that some bacteria make. Those toxins will make you very ill.

If your kitchen is naturally very cold, you might get away with it, but why risk it?

Raspberryripple11 · 09/09/2026 21:17

wheelhouse1717 · 09/09/2026 21:03

Modern fridges are fine with hot food, it will not spoil the rest of the food in the fridge.

I never do this though, I wait for food to cool. I was replying to a poster who needed to know what to do if she cooked five litres of hot soup which couldn’t be put into smaller dishes to cool.

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I recently got a thermometer for my fridge and was SHOCKED how much it made a difference to the temperature even putting cooled food in made.

But yes I agree it’s not hard to cool food before putting it away 😂.