WWYD - power cut

So, yesterday we had a 12 hour power cut. The freezer wasn't opened, but we went into the fridge briefly a couple of times.

I think the freezer food will be ok, but what would you do about the food in the fridge?

I *think* the advice is that freezers are OK for 12 hours and fridges for 4 hours without power. It will depend on how full the fridge/freezer were as well as obviously the fuller, the cooler it will have stayed. Personally, I wouldn't use fridges items as I think it's too risky (but I'm a bit anal about that kind of thing).

Sniff it and see?
I guess we haven't had much in the way of warm weather these past couple of days either, so I'd say that, coupled with the fact that fridges are generally well insulated & the door was closed the majority of the time will mean that most of the food inside should be ok.
Milk is usually the first to go off, if you keep it in the door, and anything at the back of the fridge (where it tends to be the coolest) generally the last to go off.

I would also sniff and see but then I'm not a slave to use by dates.

Yep, give it a sniff!

i'm a sniff kind gal too. but then i don't shop that often so i don't go buy date any way.

I am well and truly in the chuck the refrigerated stuff I have never really had a good relationship with food though and am VERY fussy so I am very aware of use by dates

I never pay attention to dates. Im a sniff and see gal too. With eggs I really dont pay attention to date as if you put them in a jug of water, if they sink they are fine, if they float they are off. Ive eaten eggs months out of date but as they sank all was good

I never pay attention to dates. Im a sniff and see gal too. With eggs I really dont pay attention to date as if you put them in a jug of water, if they sink they are fine, if they float they are off. Ive eaten eggs months out of date but as they sank all was good

Eggs have dates on them? almost all fresh produce here doesn't have a date on it. I tend to work out when I bought it and if it's under 5 days before I just use it, if it's over I give it a sniff to check its ok. My step mil actually throws things like tea bags and olive oil away if it goes past the date