Freezer EMERGENCY! What can I keep/what should I toss?

Question

I discovered this morning that the auxiliary freezer in the garage was left ajar (best guess -- for 14 hours). All ice cream/popsicle type things were thawed completely. The thermometer inside said 32, but I don't think it was all over....most of the bagged vegetables seem thawed and the packaging on the boxed frozen dinners are soggy. Lots of other miscellaneous items, too...

I'm afraid I'll have to toss it all but I so hate to. What can I safely use over the next few days, assuming it thawed to refrigerator temperature (NOT room temperature)? What cannot be used at all? What can safely be refrozen?

-- dinners and pizzas
-- vegetables in plastic bags
-- cookie dough
-- baked beans and corn
-- meat that has partially thawed on one edge but the rest is frozen solid
-- boxes of popcorn shrimp and fish fillets (from grocery store)

Please, serious and knowledgeable answers only -- preferably from someone who works in the grocery industry or has had this happen to them!

Answer 1

There is a list of what the USDA recommends that you toss out after a power outage (which would still apply in your case) on this website (scroll about halfway down):

http://www.fsis.usda.gov/Fact_Sheets/keeping_food_Safe_during_an_emergency/index.asp

Answer 2

Anything that has completely thawed should be either thrown out or used within the next 24 hours.

Any fish or shellfish products you'd be better off by just throwing out - fish goes off very quickly!

Meat can be refrozen if it's just partially defrosted.

Don't re-freeze anything that has thawed out completely.

Perhaps you could put in a claim for the lost food through your household insurance policy.

Answer 3

As long as the chicken is sealed tightly to prevent freezer burn, it should be fine to eat. We often stock up on chicken whenever it's on sale at the store. Keeping it in the freezer is a great way to store it for future use. We have never had spoiled or freezer burnt chicken before. I wouldn't let it in the freezer long than a year though so make sure to use it at some point. Rotate it in the front of your stock pile.

Answer 4

I would throw the ice cream & stuff away. But as far as the rest of the stuff if it is not thawed all the way just keep it & refreeze. Just pay attetion to it when you take it out or going to cook it & make sure it is ok. The same thing happened to me a couple weeks ago. It was a mess & everything I have took out to cook has been ok so far.

Answer 5

Make lots of soup and donate to a soup kitchen? I dont know if it said 32 degrees and cooked to a high enough temp. you should be able to use most of it if you keep it cool for the next few days until its used up.

Answer 6

when in doubt...throw it out. it's not worth getting sick.