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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to consider eating chicken left out overnight

52 replies

Swer987 · 05/10/2019 08:46

A few weeks ago I batch cooked some meals and chucked a few in the freezer. One is a chicken and veg dish with a tomato based sauce.

I took one of these out of the freezer last night and left it on the side to start to thaw a bit, meaning to put it in the fridge before bed. Completely forgot to, so it was still on the side when I got up this morning. It’s been out for about 14 hours. The room is not particularly warm.

I’ve put it in the fridge now, plan to microwave it for dinner tonight.

AIBU to consider eating this or should I chuck it?

OP posts:
Northernsoullover · 05/10/2019 08:47

Was it still frozen? If not, chuck it.

Original poster
Swer987 · 05/10/2019 08:49

No, it’s pretty much thawed out.

OP posts:
Pinkypurple35 · 05/10/2019 08:50

I wouldn’t risk it tbh

LittleBearPad · 05/10/2019 08:51

It’ll be fine. Put it in the fridge now and heat it through properly tonight.

BertieBotts · 05/10/2019 08:51

I do this all the time, it's fine.

Oysterbabe · 05/10/2019 08:52

I'd eat it 🤷‍♀️

Mileymileymoomoo · 05/10/2019 08:53

I would eat it but DH says I have an iron stomach.

He on the other hand won’t eat anything that’s been cooked and frozen, or leftovers. Drives me potty.

Pushmepullyou · 05/10/2019 08:56

I’d eat it and i’m an emetophobic food poisoning wimp! It’s been left out from frozen to defrost. It’ll be fine!

DontLettuceBrexitLettuceRomain · 05/10/2019 08:59

It will be absolutely fine. It's probably only just about defrosted!

PurpleWithRed · 05/10/2019 09:00

Definitely would eat it.

Raphael34 · 05/10/2019 09:00

I do this all the time with chicken I’ve cooked and then just left out. You’ll definitely be fine if it’s come out of the freezer

RoyalChocolat · 05/10/2019 09:01

I would eat it without a second thought.

Snowy111 · 05/10/2019 09:04

I’d eat it

Sparrowlegs248 · 05/10/2019 09:05

I'd eat it. This is generally how I thaw things!

QuimReaper · 05/10/2019 09:05

Of course it'll be fine. 14hrs from the freezer is nothing.

AppleKatie · 05/10/2019 09:05

I’d eat it.

I often defrost chicken on the side during the day this doesn’t seem wildly worse than that. If it was still coldish to the touch it’s fine.

lljkk · 05/10/2019 09:06

Unless the kitchen is very hot or the food smells, I'd eat it today & probably tomorrow without hesitation. In fridge now, of course.

KUGA · 05/10/2019 09:11

I would eat it but if un-sure give it to someone who`s pissed you off.
LOL it will be fine.

Mephisto · 05/10/2019 09:14

It really is fine to eat it. Just make sure you heat it so it’s piping hot.

Icantthinkofanewname87 · 05/10/2019 09:15

I was all set to say no but actually thinking about it I sometimes defrost on the side rather than in the fridge so actually yeah. Go for it.

WillLokireturn · 05/10/2019 09:17

You're not supposed to eat it still, as any bacteria in it would have multiplied during all the extra hours it was out at room temperature after it had defrosted. Heating it all the way through to piping hot will kill some but not all of extra bacteria in the food (as it wont be a sustained cook but a reheat.)

However I did just this yesterday (fri) for first time in years, with chicken meal I'd left out on side all night, heated it in microwave to piping hot . I don't have the strongest of stomachs, so I usually follow to the letter of Food hygiene guidance! Yesterday I was hungry and that was my tea. No ill effects and I was lucky that time.

tweedledeedo · 05/10/2019 09:20

That's how I defrost everything! On the side overnight then into the fridge in the morning. It's fine

SongforSal · 05/10/2019 09:23

I'm only going to say no, purely because I did the same this week. Took leftover chicken enchiladas into work last Tuesday, and had to go to the bathroom immediately after as they went right through me. I wasn't sick though luckily, just a jippy stomach for a while.

Snowy111 · 05/10/2019 10:03

To be fair song I don’t think food poisoning from the enchiladas would take effect so quickly?

Raphael34 · 05/10/2019 10:05

Song food poisoning generally takes around 48 hours to affect you, so that wasn’t the enchiladas