FFS! Freezer left open

[EvilMama]

Just been out to get something and found that DS left the freezer door open. It's been just under 4 hours since he went out and the temp was showing -4 degrees instead of -19.

Do I assume all the food is still edible as it was still in minus figures?

I assume the door was only slightly ajar to still be at -4' after 4hrs, rather than being left completely, wide open?

Yes, I would assume it was all fine as its still all frozen.

See I’d think the opposite.

i know with my freezer if the door is left slightly ajar the temp is fine for a while. Probably costs me a fortune in electric as it goes into overdrive but stuff only really starts to defrost if it’s a long period of time- ie overnight.

so if the freezer has pretty much defrosted (to get to -4) in 4 hours the freezer door must be wide open.

if you defrost your freezer- switch it off completely and open the door, it fakes a few hours for the ice and surface to warm up.

o/p I’d poke stuff. If it’s solid keep it in there. Although if it’s got to -4 it probably won’t be, in which case I’d get anything that can’t refreeze out like meat, and chuck bread etc back in.

I would assume it'd be fine and just close the door and crack on.

Yes, only slightly ajar, a couple of centimetres, it wasn't wide open.
I squished an ice cream carton that was right at the front of one of the shelves and it still felt ice-cream-like...

This happens a lot in my house. Meat will be fine, just check what’s nearest to the door how frozen it is. You’d be surprised at how the freezer will run in full to keep freezer near to normal temperature. I would throw out ice cream and any ice lolly’s, if they are soft.

Throw out the ice cream?!

if it’s only a bit soft eat it 😂.