Archive:Quick Questions on food safety / sell by / use by dates

Bitsy_Beans

I never put anything straight into the fridge from being cooked so stuff is forever being left out overnight. Not poisoned anyone in my family yet!!!!

HariboJunkie

My fridge isn't big enough to put in things like shepherd's pie so I leave leftovers in the oven (switched off obviously) until the next day. I always throroughly reheat them and, touch wood, there's been no food poisoning yet.

Penelope_Penguin

See my signature

Penny. x

savingforoz

Agree 100% with all of the above! I'd eat it. If it smells/looks OK, then down the hatch it goes! (I loathe food waste).

ALIBOBSY

During winter and spring plus most of autumn our kitchen is cold over night so if stuff gets left overnight I immediately fridge or freeze it and use it as normal. Only on hot summer nights might I have different ideas lol.
If you always make sure it is reheated right through should be no problems.

ali x

raphanius

if i make a big chilli, bolognese or curry i always leave it in the pan, with a lid on of course, overnight to cool.

Taye

yeah i leave things in the oven for the next day all the time and im not dead yet, can't leave them on the worktop though otherwise the cat gets it haha.

kittyscarlett

We might not have had freezers or fridges 50 year ago but then we didn't have centrally heated/insulated houses either... or quite as much knowledge about food related illnesses. I would go with the being sensible and reheating thoroughly school of thought, but keeping in mind that a cool kitchen does not necessarily mean a cold enough kitchen to keep food, especially if the rest of the house is warm. As has been stated, when people did not have fridges to keep food in we did have larders and pantries - deliberately built with materials and methods for keeping the area cool and safe, not like your average kitchen cupboard.

I can't quite remember the science behind it but apparently it is a bit safer to leave food in a pan/oven to cool down because its sealed away from possible contamination/temperature differences ?

tiddly_widdly

We're all still alive.
you can tell if youve left it out too long, it goes paler and begins to froth!!!!!
Enjoy

traceylou9

Thanks for all the replies! When I bagged it up it felt pretty cold to the touch and wasn't pale or frothy _pale_ so I think we'll be ok - actually I don't eat beef so it will be hubby taking the risk :rotfl:

Thanks again

Tracey.