Help! Freezer left open!!!

[Isitbedtimesoon]

I've just come downstairs to find the freezer door slightly open. The ice cream is soft, but still cold. Do you think everything else will be okay? It's mostly chips, ice cream, peas and fish fingers (no meat other than maybe a chicken burger or two). This is really not the time to loose food!!! Please help Mumsnetters - do you think it will be okay?

I think stuff is safe for around 12 hours. Do you know when it was last opened?

Really worried as this has got to last us and the kids three weeks until food arrives. But equally not a time to be ill with food poisoning!

It would have been around 7 or 8 last night (sorry, new on here and don't know how to quote names)

Throw away ice cream but everything else will be totally fine providing you cook it correctly.

I think youd struggle to get ill from any of those things. Just cook everything really well and it will be fine.

Shut door and use it. Cook any meat thoroughly. Don't waste food you may not be able to replace and might need.

Close the door and get on with your day (what I did when our freezer door was left open over night last week).

Throw away ice cream

What, why? Eat the ice cream for breakfast!

Personally I’d shut the door and BAU

@Isitbedtimesoon Honestly don’t worry. Ours was left open over night and then DH left it open over night the other night again 🤬🤬 It was mostly chicken, burgers, chips. We’re all fine, just cook it properly. I think what helped is that it was tightly packed.

Our freezer was left open but thankfully was empty but is now full of ice, I need to switch it off and let it all defrost but I'm worried about the food in the fridge as obviously do not want to have to throw it out

The only thing I might throw away is the ice cream but I wouldn’t worry about the rest

Throw icecream and any meat/fish products which have started to thaw.

Throw icecream and any meat/fish products which have started to thaw

No! The fish and meat will be fine to refreeze if it hasn't thawed completely. If it has, then make something with it all that you can freeze. It woudl be madness to htrow away food right now.

food.unl.edu/free-resources/newsletters/it-safe-refreeze-raw-meat-and-poultry-has-thawed

Thank you everyone! The freezer was packed very tightly as it's small (my husband even took fish fingers out the box that wouldn't fit in and wedged them in individually!)

I suppose the ice cream is a worry. My 12 year old has some every night as her treat. I stuck my finger in and it was squishy but not completely melted and felt cold, but was a darker colour around the edges.