Can I eat it... unfrozen frozen lasagna

December 28, 2023 2:37 PM

About a week ago, I put two packaged frozen lasagnas in my fridge to thaw, intending to cook them on Christmas Day. Are they still ok to cook and eat?

These are packaged frozen lasagnas, about 3.5 pounds each, still sealed in the package. They were frozen when I put them in the fridge last week, and have been in the fridge the entire time. Still good to cook and eat? Or do I need to toss?

posted by Serene Empress Dork to Food & Drink (12 answers total)

I'm sure there is so much salt in those things they would be safe provisions for 17th century era travel by sea.

I would eat them.
posted by phunniemee at 2:42 PM on December 28, 2023 [6 favorites]

Probably fine. I would eat leftover lasagna left in the fridge for a week (though that's probably my max upper limit), and sealed store-bought lasagna is significantly more sterile than that.
posted by mekily at 2:44 PM on December 28, 2023 [3 favorites]

It's safe. Since you kept in the fridge for that time, there's little bacterial growth to worry about, and what little there is will be destroyed when you bake the lasagna.
posted by storybored at 3:02 PM on December 28, 2023 [1 favorite]

Cooked lasagna will last for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator, let's be generous and say the defrosting took a whole day that gives you a maximum of 6 days.
posted by Lanark at 3:45 PM on December 28, 2023 [1 favorite]

"About a week" covers a lot of ground. If that means five days, I'd say cook and eat it. Six days is on the edge, I'd pass but others might not. But if that is seven or more, I'd personally absolutely toss it. That gets into the "very unlikely to kill you but greater than zero chance of puking your guts out" territory.
posted by Dip Flash at 4:31 PM on December 28, 2023 [2 favorites]

Response by poster: Hmmm. I think it's been 7. But it's almost done cooking and my mouth is all set for it, so, I guess we'll see 👀
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 4:38 PM on December 28, 2023 [4 favorites]

The packages were put into the fridge in a frozen state. It probably took at least 8 hours, likely more, for them to thaw. I would not hesitate to cook and eat them. Not even a little.
posted by cooker girl at 5:10 PM on December 28, 2023 [7 favorites]

Cooked lasagna will last for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator

If I want a cooked lasagna to last anywhere near that long in our refrigerator, I have to make two of them.
posted by flabdablet at 2:35 AM on December 29, 2023 [1 favorite]

It's fine. They took a day or 3 to thaw. Also, lasagna. Enjoy.
posted by theora55 at 8:38 AM on December 29, 2023

The packages were sealed in the fridge, so the chances of bacteria entering them during the defrosting period is quite reduced. I'd eat it.
posted by Jane the Brown at 8:39 AM on December 29, 2023

The common belief that processed food starts out as some wonderfully pure sterile source that will only be contaminated if the package is opened is not backed up by any science. In reality the levels of pathogens and bacteria in processed food are an order of magnitude higher than non-processed and fresh foods, all they need to multiply to dangerous levels are temperature and time.
posted by Lanark at 2:26 PM on December 29, 2023

Odds are the parts of the meal likely to have bacteria were already cooked or parcooked and you're just reheating. You maintained the cold chain, so I'd say you are good to go.
posted by Sunburnt at 5:34 PM on December 29, 2023