To ask How the hell do you defrost food in the fridge!

[queenofthelamas]

I'm fed up! Recently we've taken to meal prepping due to going back to work and having a toddler. All guidelines state to defrost in fridge overnight to reheat the next day. How the hell does this work! We've tried it 5 times now and each time it's still frozen by the next days dinner time!
My mum always defrosted on the side either overnight then put in fridge or got
It our first thing in the morning and left on the side but this isn't recommended.
Please tell me where I'm going wrong before I pull my hair out! My latest defrosting has been in the fridge for 2 days and is still frozen in the middle!

Just put it on the side then and put it in the fridge in the morning. There isn’t a trick to it, you might just have your fridge set to very cold.

Or leave in fridge for 2 days to defrost

Sorry missed the end of your post. Just heat it up or leave it out for a bit then put in fridge while it's still a bit frozen but not solid

Put it on the side. I do it all the time and I'm not dead yet

Try it in the ‘warmest part’ of the fridge - ie if your freezer is below your fridge then the top of the fridge towards the front nearest the door. And remove to room an hour or so before cooking.

Just leave it out overnight on the side to defrost then out it in the fridge in the morning if it's defrosted enough.

If it's for a toddler I imagine it's only small portions, so even heating from frozen isn't going to hurt.

I always take whatever I need out of the freezer when going to bed, leave it on the counter, then put it in the fridge when I get up.

Or if I forget, as I did the other day, I take it out when I get up and leave it out and it’s defrosted by dinner time.

Leave it out for two hours at least before it goes in the fridge. I take next day's stuff when making dinner and put it in the fridge when I'm in the kitchen later in the evening.

Once it has a head start it catches up.

Thanks all. It's been driving me crazy. I'm just going to adopt mums method of leaving it on the side!

Make sure your fridge is not set at too cold a temperature, and put the item in the bottom for a day or 2.

Don't leave stuff out of the fridge overnight! That's a terrible idea!

I leave it out on the worktop and put in the fridge once defrosted. Hasn't killed us yet

My kitchen is cold overnight

In fact, my kitchen is fairly cold during the day too at this time of year. I have to microwave room temperature butter so it doesn't rip the bread when you try to spread it

I bought a defrosting tray from Amazon that works quite well. I usually defrost in fridge first then put it on the tray for an hour or two in the kitchen (not on super hot days though).

VonShef Defrosting Tray with Red Silicone Border - Defrost Tray Thaws Frozen Food in Minutes! No Electricity, No Chemicals, No Microwave https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B017WDEBNO/ref=cmswwrcppapifabcc_9EEMJ3GBSEVHGAW4MARQ

I put it in the fridge overnight & leave it on the side during the day and it's perfectly thawed. I do the same with frozen meat and fish and it's worked well so far.

I get it out of the freezer and leave it on the side all day. It hasnt killed my kids yet.

In summer I would do in fridge & get out 24h before.

Usually stuff we have frozen are the type of things that will easily defrost in the microwave if they are still frozen in the middle

A lot will depend on your house but we have the heating on from 3am on some days so wouldn't want food left out

We’ve just bought a defrosting tray as I’m fed up of forgetting to take things out of the freezer the night before. I’m really impressed with how well it works. I don’t know how it works but it does.

off topic, but I wonder why people talk about leaving things on 'the side', when they mean the top?
If I tried to leave anything on the side of my kitchen I'd have to nail it on.

I've never successfully defrosted anything in the fridge either. It's the side here, has been for more than 25 years and we seem to have survived. It still feels "chilled" by dinner time anyway.

What number is your fridge set at? I like super cold milk so mine is set at 6, it should be 3. Defrost over two days or three if that’s what it takes.

Try adjusting your fridge settings. It must be too cold if things that are not a massive turkey do not defrost in it overnight.

I always leave it out on the side, it takes days in the fridge! Either overnight then into the fridge in the morning, or take it out in the morning and leave out all day
I think people that have fridges that you can defrost stuff in have it set too warm

I may start it in there, but then take it out for few hours and leave it on a side or in a sink. I don't think I ever defrosed anything in my fridge😂

Don't make you fridge temp higher. Recommended temp is below 5

I only ever see it on mn, I'd say counter top or table but that seems frowned upon here. I think it might be an American term adopted by some some but I've no idea why. I think I've heard it on one of those dreadful 'house flipping' American programmes