topic Re: Can you eat frozen foods that have thawed? in Kitchen

Can you eat frozen foods that have thawed?

geegerbee — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 00:45:29 GMT

This has happened to me a few times now. A bag of frozen corn and a tv dinner thawed. I called one company and of course they said to throw it away. I don't understand why it would be bad to eat it when you still are going to cook it.

Comments?

Re: Can you eat frozen foods that have thawed?

ECBG — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 00:50:02 GMT

It's a safety issue. Food poisoning is not to be taken lightly. Right now is not the time to be in the hospital as well.

Re: Can you eat frozen foods that have thawed?

beach-mom — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 00:54:45 GMT

@geegerbee - I'd be careful. I think it would be OK if it has just thawed and you cook it right away. I would never however touch seafood unless you are the one controlling the defrosting. We will see what others say!

Re: Can you eat frozen foods that have thawed?

Tinkrbl44 — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 01:19:11 GMT

@geegerbee wrote:
This has happened to me a few times now. A bag of frozen corn and a tv dinner thawed. I called one company and of course they said to throw it away. I don't understand why it would be bad to eat it when you still are going to cook it.
Comments?

@geegerbee

We're missing an important point here .....

If something was in the freezer, then put in the fridge and thawed, it didn't go above a temp in the 30s or low 40's ... right? I don't see any danger.

(IMO, it also depends on how long it was in the fridge)

However ... if you left something frozen out on the counter all night and it got to even close to room temperature, TOSS IT.

Re: Can you eat frozen foods that have thawed?

Kachina624 — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 01:37:15 GMT

I do it frequently but only keep it refrigerated a day if it's a casserole or a couple days for something like corn.

Re: Can you eat frozen foods that have thawed?

Catty2 — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 03:48:18 GMT

I few weeks ago we had a power outage for 7 hours on a 109 degree day. I had 3 frozen dinners in the freezer and threw them out. The frozen veggies should be OK so I kept those.

Re: Can you eat frozen foods that have thawed?

EatWell — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 06:54:42 GMT

@geegerbee wrote:
This has happened to me a few times now. A bag of frozen corn and a tv dinner thawed. I called one company and of course they said to throw it away. I don't understand why it would be bad to eat it when you still are going to cook it.
Comments?

@geegerbee

Yes. Smell it. If it doesn't stink, you can eat it.

Re: Can you eat frozen foods that have thawed?

Johnnyeager — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 07:07:07 GMT

Absolutely. Just use common sense tips others have noted.

Re: Can you eat frozen foods that have thawed?

depglass — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 13:18:36 GMT

"If it doesn't stink you can eat it ? ? ?" Are you serious? I once had a job at a local bar. My instructions were the same for the homemade bean soup they served. I quit shortly thereafter, not willing to risk the health of the customers.

Re: Can you eat frozen foods that have thawed?

Bella2022 — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 13:56:10 GMT

@EatWell wrote:

@geegerbee wrote:
This has happened to me a few times now. A bag of frozen corn and a tv dinner thawed. I called one company and of course they said to throw it away. I don't understand why it would be bad to eat it when you still are going to cook it.
Comments?

@geegerbee

Yes. Smell it. If it doesn't stink, you can eat it.

if meat, cook asap.

Re: Can you eat frozen foods that have thawed?

RedTop — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 14:30:02 GMT

I do, but only if I have intentionally thawed them in the fridge.

Re: Can you eat frozen foods that have thawed?

shoptilyadropagain — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 14:54:06 GMT

Was this left on the counter or in the fridge? If it was left to thaw in the fridge, I don't see a problem. My mom used to thaw her hamburger and other meat in the sink overnight and we never got sick from it. That's not something that I'd (or my mom) would do today though.

Re: Can you eat frozen foods that have thawed?

Whitney400 — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 15:17:18 GMT

We recently had a four day power outage here in CT. I learned years ago to buy groceries once a month, spend several days cooking various dishes and freezing them, especially stocking up for items that are available only in the summer. Most years, I have enough food to get through the winter. However, after this power outage, I had to throw out all of my frozen, home made meals. I use Lock&Lock containers and when I checked them, there were ice crystals in each of the containers. That meant that the food had thawed a little and I didn't want to take a chance getting food poisoning. Even if you don't get sick, the quality of the food is compromised. Like someone else said, food posoning is no joke. I also follow the recommended guidelines on how long to keep food in the freezer, whether it is pre-cooked or not. Hope this helps.

Re: Can you eat frozen foods that have thawed?

suzyQ3 — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 16:02:35 GMT

As others have said, if you thaw it in the fridge, you're fine. We do that all the time. But you should then cook it within a day or two.