Cookaholics Bulletin Board

So I made a meal this weekend for a large family we know, and put it all in an insulated cold bag yesterday morning with a bag of ice in it to keep it cold during church. (It was all already thoroughly chilled, and the weather here in VA was mild yesterday and cool today.) I had my daughter meet her friend from the family in the parking lot and do the switchover.

So I just went out to my car to get the bag for another purpose, and realized that somehow she missed the giant pan of mac and cheese that was in the bottom. In her defense, it was covered in foil and the inside of the bag looks the same. But still, she's 16!!

Anyway, the pan and mac & cheese were definitely still cool. Not refrigerator cold, but definitely cool. I'm pretty laid back when it comes to leaving stuff out longer than you're technically supposed to, and I definitely push it a few days when it comes to use-by dates on meat and dairy (and we've never gotten sick). So my question is -- would it be really crazy to risk either eating it ourselves or take it to them tomorrow? The answer is probably yes, but I just had to pose the question.

And while we're at it, I'd be interested to know what guidelines any of you tend to go by when it comes to food safety. Unless it's the recommended precautions, which definitely require too much organization in my world!

Thanks,

Emilie

Emilie, I'd probably eat it but wouldn't give it to someone. Just in case.
I go by the smell on most items, colour on some. Like you the whole "was it still cool" thing applies in our house too.

Speaking as a lay person, not a chef (where the rules I must live by are rather stringent), I'd serve it. But, that's me.

Amy

I am with Amy on this one with one provision: if there are "at risk" folks, such as over 60 or under 5 years of age, I'd be careful about them.

I would serve it too....it would help to know what you had in it that might spoil if left out....certainly the mac and the cheeses can handle sitting out, as can the butter. I guess the milk product (cream ) would be the only question mark and if it was still cool, should be no problem.

Thanks so much for the replies. After reading them (and continuing to obsess about it), I decided that the insulated bag basically functioned like a cooler and that it just HAD to still be good. Just to be sure, I ate about 1/4 cup of it before I went to bed and figured if I didn't get sick by this morning, I'd offer it to her. Fortunately I'm just fine and she immediately took me up on the offer to drop it off later.

And as an aside, one of the other things I made for them (that didn't get left behind:) was the Sweet and Salty Cake from Baked. Saw it online and I love caramel so wanted to give it a try (although I used a CI recipe that's easy and always reliable for the chocolate layers). This was my friend's response:

and did I tell you that your chocolate cake was the best cake I think I have ever had? I am officially hiring you now for my daughters' weddings

So at least the end result of all the drama was apparently a really good new cake recipe (although I definitely don't do weddings!).

Thanks again,

Emilie