https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 09 May 2026 09:46:29 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight/page/2#post-1585038 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 01:25:35 +0000 Squirrelynutkins 1585038@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As a dietitian, my rule of thumb is "when in doubt, throw it out". The cost of the food &amp; time spent cooking is nothing when compared to the potential cost &amp; time spent waiting at the doctor's for food poisoning. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight/page/2#post-1585036 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 01:24:32 +0000 Arden 1585036@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It would depend. If it had meat or dairy products in it, I would throw it away. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight/page/2#post-1585034 Wed, 23 Apr 2014 01:14:31 +0000 PawPrints 1585034@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yeah, this kind of situation is not really related to whether you have a laid-back attitude about germs or not. I'm the opposite of a germaphobe and generally very adventurous about what I'll eat and where I'll get it from (I eat expired food and street food etc.), but anybody with basic food safety training knows that there are clear rules on when it's no longer safe to eat food that's been sitting out. </p> <p>Info here: <a href="http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/safe-food-handling/danger-zone-40-f-140-f/ct_index" rel="nofollow">http://www.fsis.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsis/topics/food-safety-education/get-answers/food-safety-fact-sheets/safe-food-handling/danger-zone-40-f-140-f/ct_index</a></p> <p>The crucial part:<br /> Bacteria grow most rapidly in the range of temperatures between 40 °F and 140 °F, doubling in number in as little as 20 minutes. This range of temperatures is often called the "Danger Zone." Never leave food out of refrigeration over 2 hours. If the temperature is above 90 °F, food should not be left out more than 1 hour.<br /> Keep hot food hot — at or above 140 °F. Place cooked food in chafing dishes, preheated steam tables, warming trays, and/or slow cookers.<br /> Keep cold food cold — at or below 40 °F. Place food in containers on ice.</p> <p>There you go - clear guidelines to refer to that will tell you when you can eat it and when you have to toss it. And as previous posters mentioned above, dogs can get food poisoning too! Oh boy did I find that out the hard way. My poor little dogs. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight/page/2#post-1584977 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 23:03:06 +0000 pinkcupcake 1584977@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm surprised at how many ppl would throw it away! I've totally left stuff out on the counter overnight and eaten it the next day with no problems. Now I'm wondering if I'm too lax about it ... :T </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight/page/2#post-1584969 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 22:40:10 +0000 birdofafeather 1584969@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Raindrop: ha. totally!</p> <p>depends on what it is, but probably not chili! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight/page/2#post-1584659 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 19:22:06 +0000 Raindrop 1584659@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I would let DH eat it but not LO. :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight/page/2#post-1584628 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 19:12:37 +0000 SleepyMonkey 1584628@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>i probably would toss it. but my mom used to leave soups and stuff out overnight when it was cold out and the thermostat was turned to the 60's for the night, and we all ate it and were okay. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight/page/2#post-1584252 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 15:58:22 +0000 Radish 1584252@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@ShootingStar: I don't make chili, I was just saying in general that is what we do if something is just past what we are comfortable eating but not truly bad. If I knew it wasn't good for the dogs I would toss it for sure. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight/page/2#post-1584230 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 15:42:35 +0000 Meridian 1584230@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Toss :( I did the same thing recently with some chicken stew, and was sad to toss the contents of the pot the next morning... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight/page/2#post-1584158 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 15:12:34 +0000 MrsKRB 1584158@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If it was hot when you put it in the container, then yes definitely throw it away. Especially something like chili, the middle of it will still be hot while the rest is cooling, and if there is meat in it - no matter how good you cooked the meat, there will still be bacteria. Food poisoning is not worth the risk for me! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight/page/2#post-1584132 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 15:02:35 +0000 Grace 1584132@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>No way. Overnight is too long and reheating it isn't going to kill any toxins that bacteria may have made. You won't die and you may not even get seriously sick, but the runs aren't fun either. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight/page/2#post-1583898 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 13:44:32 +0000 reverie 1583898@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I guess I'm really lax. If it smells OK and you're reheating it I wouldn't think twice. Obviously if something was "off" I would skip. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight/page/2#post-1583880 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 13:39:15 +0000 gingerbebe 1583880@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Mrs. Deer: Would totally eat it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight/page/2#post-1583872 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 13:37:15 +0000 Pumuckl 1583872@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>since it was cooked it should be fine for all to enjoy once it was reheated to boiling. </p> <p>But I guess if you don't feel comfortable it's not worth it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight/page/2#post-1583845 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 13:28:56 +0000 Mrs. Deer 1583845@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Thanks all! I have had food poisoning several times and no food is worth it :/ I so want to eat it, but in the trash it goes! Hopefully I won't make that mistake again! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight/page/2#post-1583829 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 13:25:42 +0000 lemondrop 1583829@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Having had food poisoning in the past- never again, I would toss it. </p> <p>* Also dogs are NOT immune to food poisoning, having treated some very sick dogs in the past, I would not offer it to mine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight/page/2#post-1583813 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 13:19:59 +0000 ShootingStar 1583813@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I think overnight is too long. </p> <p>@Radish: I don't think chili, especially when it may have gone bad, is a great thing to feed dogs :bummed: . </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight/page/2#post-1583793 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 13:15:37 +0000 LuLu Mom 1583793@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope, I would toss it, food poisoning is awful. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight#post-1583790 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 13:14:29 +0000 2PeasinaPod 1583790@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've gotten food poisoning before and never, ever want it again. I would toss it. Sorry :crying: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight#post-1583745 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 13:04:07 +0000 chopsuey 1583745@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I've left soup and food out overnight and eaten it. I wouldn't give it to the kids though ! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight#post-1583618 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 12:41:40 +0000 Jenn23 1583618@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wow, surprised how many would eat it. I would toss it after only a few hours out. To me, it is not worth getting sick over anything like that! I throw out leftovers from restaurants if we aren't home within 2 hours. I'm super strict with that, but I guess that isn't the norm after seeing this thread! Only non-meats/dairy I wouldn't worry about. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight#post-1583613 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 12:39:47 +0000 CupQuakeWalk 1583613@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Not chili (meat). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight#post-1583610 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 12:38:44 +0000 Mrs. Oatmeal 1583610@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It'd make me hesitate, and I wouldn't feed it to LO, but as long as I heated it to 165 degrees, I'd probably eat it. DH would for sure. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight#post-1583603 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 12:36:24 +0000 rattles 1583603@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Like others, I'd toss it if it was meat and eat it otherwise. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight#post-1583509 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 12:16:00 +0000 anandam 1583509@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Like @snowjewelz: said, if it smells okay and tastes okay, I assume it's okay. I've never in my life had food poisoning and definitely have eaten things nobody else would - I'm one to cut off mold and sniff and taste again, then go for it. Maybe in the case of kids, I'd eat it myself and make sure I felt okay for 24hrs before feeding them other leftovers? But I'm sure the health department would not agree. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight#post-1583497 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 12:11:28 +0000 mrswin 1583497@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Toss it.... there are some bacteria that are not killed by re-heating so unfortunately I wouldn't risk it. So sad :sad: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight#post-1583372 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 11:36:47 +0000 Mrsjets 1583372@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope it would go in the trash...unless it's pizza, I can't say no to pizza :p </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight#post-1583362 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 11:34:49 +0000 Mrs. Sunshine 1583362@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@snowjewelz: same! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight#post-1583355 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 11:33:04 +0000 jhd 1583355@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm paranoid about leftovers so I would throw it away. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/if-you-forgot-to-refrigerate-your-leftovers-overnight#post-1583334 Tue, 22 Apr 2014 11:23:00 +0000 mrsrain 1583334@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Nope, it's way past the point where I'd be comfortable eating it! :shocked: </p>