To wonder if I’ll have food poisoning tomorrow?

[defrostingdilemma]

I cooked a chilli con carne tonight. The minced beef had been in the freezer for about five months and I took it out this morning and left it on the kitchen counter in the original plastic bag I bought it in (from the butcher) to defrost. I always use this method to defrost meat at home.

I also used an onion from the fridge that had a best before date of September last year, but which looked and smelt perfectly fine. For dessert I had a yoghurt that was 10 days past its use by date but again, it looked and tasted absolutely fine. I’ve been on a quest to use up old food, but I’m now feeling worried that I’ve been a bit silly and that one or all of these things could give me food poisoning. AIBU?

Nah, you'll be fine. YABU

The onion & yoghurt wouldn’t worry me at all.

The mince is probably completely fine - I probably would have defrosted in fridge though personally but I suppose it’s not that warm at the moment. I reckon you’ll be fine!

Encouraging replies so far - thanks!

I’ve tried defrosting meat in the fridge before, but even after 24 hours it was still semi frozen. Maybe my fridge is too cold?

There’s nothing wrong with anything you ate!

the mince o do the same frequently and no I'll effects.
the yogurt wpuld be my worry but it's bacteria anyway!

You'll be absolutely fine

Thanks - so is my method of defrosting meat perfectly safe then? I’ve never been 100% sure!

I can’t believe how long onions keep for in the fridge!

All of that sounds fine. You used your eyes and nose to check for freshness, it would have been obvious if any of those things was on the turn.

I use the exact same method to defrost. Only time it’s not worked for me was during the summer and with chicken.... and also might have left it in the sun 🙈

You won’t have food poisoning

There is far too much food thrown out these days. In my mum's day if it smelt ok it was fine. No use by or sell by dates then. I have just had a full fat Greek yogurt dated end Oct. Tasted fine. Cheese is fine for months and so on and on and on.

I suppose Brexit will sort it all out as all the EU directives regarding use/sell by dates will be gone and we will once again have to rely on our noses!

All hail Brexit.

I would have done exactly the same (apart from the yogurt but that only because I don't like it!!).
If the mince smelt ok, and the onion wasn't 'off', they will be absolutely fine though.

You'll be grand

I think you'll be ok.

Meat should always safely be defrosted in the fridge.

Bacteria multiplies at room temperature. I get people do this, my Mum does, but I prefer to defrost my meat the safest way albeit that it takes longer.

I never defrost meat in the fridge, takes far too long.
Never been I'll.

Onions don’t really go off they just get squishy...or are quite obviously the worse for wear. Yoghurts can be eaten a long time after sell by / best before days if they’re kept cold. I’ve probably eaten them two or three months after their sell by date.( you can tell when dairy is off) Mince wouldn’t defrost in my fridge either because it’s too cold so I would happily leave it out 8 hours / overnight before cooking. In fact mince is one of those meats that you can cook from frozen so no need to defrost at all ( although it obviously speeds up the process) Really people need to stop being paranoid about sell by dates and trust their instincts ... if you buy meat from a butcher you don’t get sell by dates. It’s a sad indictment that half the world doesn’t have enough to eat and the other half is binning ridiculous amounts of perfectly fine food.

Who on earth looks at a use by date on an onion? Either it's mouldy or it's not. No wonder so much food goes to waste. Pathetic.

I always go by the smell test. Not guaranteed results but I trust my senses

Mince fine. Onion fine if felt firm enough. Yoghurt I'm a bit I think 10 days is probably a bit much. But if you do have food poisoning it shouldn't be too horrific if the yoghurt didnt taste wrong

Good luck anyway!

Yoghurt doesn't carry food poisoning bacteria, the only way you'd get sick is if it was vile and curdled then you'd throw up and be ok again. Same with milk etc

Another vote for No Food Poisoning.

I'm pleased to report that all is well this morning!

Turns out onions are probably the dodgy ones on your list. Rice & (peeled or cut) onions are the ones nobody suspects but can do you harm after normal handling but a few days in the fridge.

Not sure how you have onions a) with use-by dates; b) in the fridge? Thought they needed dry, dark storage like potatoes.

Glad you’ve survived though!

I have veg well over it's date on the fridge. The cold and the dark helps preserve them. The only thing with onions is if they've been cut they absorb the germs in their surroundings so you shouldn't store cut ones but a whole one would be fine.
I also defrost mince at room temperature with no problems. Glad you're ok though