Have you ever left milk out overnight?

[fire it up]

Bought a gallon milk yesterday and completely forgot to put it in the fridge. It was 2% and was unopened.
I read a few things on the internet where people claim it isn't a big deal and that it simply reduces the shelf life of the milk.
Anyone done this before and lived to tell about it?
Not really that worried about it but considering that milk is around $4 a gallon I would rather not toss it.
Gonna give it a smell first but I figured someone else somewhere had made the same mistake.

 

[pitrow]

Use it! I would. Your nose knows.

I did the same thing last night with some eggs. Threw them back in the fridge when I found them this morning. They'll get the smell test when I use them next, but otherwise I'm not overly concerned about 'em.

 

[spirit deer]

If you're worried about the milk, use it for cooking. We'd most likely drink it but we like to live dangerously.

 

[cajunsmoke13]

It would be in the garbage at my house.

 

[pignit]

I know what you oughta do...... MAKE GRAVY! You do know you can cook with soured milk. I don't like milk in the first place so I know I wouldn't drink it. I would however start makin biscuits.

 

[cajunsmoke13]

Good idea pig

 

[bbq engineer]

I drink a lot of milk...and $4.00 a gallon in the grocery store really got my attention. I have been buying it at Costco for $2.00 a gallon. Since I drink a lot of it, I buy 3 gallons at a time. If you have a Costco, that will help too. I can easily pay for the cost of a membership on milk alone.

Mrs. Engineer is adamant that if anything hits an expiration date, it goes away. If I left the milk out overnight and she saw it, it would be gone immediately. I would be a little more forgiving, and if unopened, would probably give it a chance.

 

[fire it up]

Great idea using it to make gravy, or biscuits. Or biscuits and gravy...
In the restaurant industry we always go by the term "When in doubt, throw it out" but I suppose as long as it doesn't offend the senses I will use it on something. I could let it sit in the sun tomorrow, make some cheese...
More expensive than gas, maybe I should pour it into my car and see if it makes it go.
Thanks everyone.

 

[davenh]

The sniff test with milk will tell you. If it don't smell sour I'd use it. As soon as it gets an off smell I dump it

.

 

[c2s]

+3 the smell test. Put it the fridge give it a day or two then smell.

I never even look at the date. Since it's more of a recommendation anyway. 11:59AM safe 12:00PM spoiled.

 

[fire it up]

You said it cS2, date usually makes no difference.
I had to stop buying milk from Acme because you never knew if it would be bad already. Shoprite is more trustworthy but I try to go to BJ's for milk, not $2 a gallon, but just over $3.
To anyone not familiar BJ's is like a Costco, membership required and TONS of bulk items and just about everything else in the world.

 

[matt1124]

I'm too anal about food bacteria to use it when I did that. Milk is weird for me though for some reason. I bet if it smells alright then go for it. It is warm when it comes out of the cow and its gets pretty freakin' hot when they homogenize it I think.

As for the eggs in the earlier post: Put them in a glass of water. It it sinks, its good and tasty. If it floats, toss it. Sometimes they stand on end or kinda hover just off the bottom. Still good, but not for long in that case.

 

[pops6927]

Weigh the options: Gallon of milk, $4.00. ER and stomach pumped or miss a day or days of work, Hundreds. I'd get it down the drain so fast it wouldn't be funny, go get another gallon and forget about it - that $4.00 wouldn't even buy you a big Mac and Coke.. don't worry about it, just protect yourself and your loved ones.
Same with the eggs.
I've done both many times, tossed 'em and went on, me and my family are too precious to worry about a few bucks on tainted food.
I had 8 days of diarrhia last fall, worst I've ever had. Whether it was foodborn or bacteria or virus, never found out. But I hope I NEVER go through that again, lost 21 pounds and was delirious for 4 of the 8 days. A gallon of milk or a dozen eggs is pittance compared to that risk again.

Pops §§