If in doubt, throw it out. Food can rot in less than 2 hours. It really depends on what you had, but do you want to risk a visit to the hospital because you don't want to throw away your Cheez-its or whatever?

Oh, god. I have done this before. Except there was no Ice left inside, and all the meat was melted, which created a pool of blood about an inch thick at the bottom. I threw out everything. I would recommend you throw out all meat, but I am sure some stuff like veggies can be cooked and eaten. I have not had good luck trying to re-freeze anything though, usually once it has been thawed you should cook it or toss it, unfortunately it probably won't be the same if you freeze it again.

Way to channel Johnny Cochrane! "If the ice is gone, don't eat that prawn!"

Argh. I prodded a pork chop and it was solid. But it's a big freezer and that's a lot of money to throw away.

Thankfully the folks are abroad, so they can spaz out over there.

sh*t.

This man is wise in the ways of consumption.

Yeah, if it's still solid -- heck, if it's still cold and icy in there -- it's probably not too bad.

Hint: Spices were so valuable to import to Europe in the Middle Ages because they covered the taste of food that was turning. This is also why I have trouble trusting cheap Chinese and curry.

So if you're feeling squeamish, douse it in BBQ sauce first.

I've turned the freezeer back on. Should I now take all the stuff out?

is all the stuff in it or out of it?
if its in it check it ASAP so you can tell what defrosted and what didn't you'll likely hit a point as you go down where everything is still frozen solid, everything below that line won't have defrosted either. Meats and fruits you have to be especially careful with as they refreeze poorly (too much cellular damage with each freeze) Typically vegetables survive much better.

There was an episode of the Sam & Max cartoon like that, too.

I might just do that. My great aunt used to say that, too.

If any of the meat turned a shade different in color when the freezer was off then toss it. If things look the same no worries.

Also, the prodding is good. Make sure most things are still solid and frozen. A little bit of squish on the top layer of the meat is fine, but if your finger goes in a little too much then chuck it.

Smelling doesn't do any good either. Frozen meats usually don't smell at all.

That's just it, bad thawed meat smells horrific, especially in a closed, warm freezer.

1D, be ever so thankful you caught it when you did.

The anime Cowboy Bebop also had a fridge episode.

This was a universal in post-Katrina New Orleans. After 3 days to 3 weeks without electricity in subtropical September, people came home and, without opening the fridge or freezer, duct taped the doors shut and hauled the whole unit to the curb. A friend had to allow the garage to air out before he could go in to dispose of his chest freezer. It had contained 30 pounds of peeled, boiled shrimp. I guarantee that he never lifted the lid on that monstrosity. My mother-in-law couldn't decided which smelled worse in her house, the warm freezer or the decomposing fish tank. I'll never think of a power outtage the same way again.

This same thing happened to me last year. I was in crutches so when I found out that my parents didn't actually plug in the freazer when they moved me I was pretty pissed. I ended up eating everything that was in there. Obviously I'm still alive and I don't remember getting sick. If it tastes funny then throw it out but it's not like it's going to kill you...and if it does well you're dead you won't care.