Safety and Preparedness

How To Keep Food From Spoiling In A Power Outage

At a Glance

Refrigerated food usually lasts about four hours in a power outage, but that can vary.
Frozen food is generally good for about two days.
There are several ways to help keep food fresh after a storm.

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When a storm knocks out your power, the countdown begins to keep food in the fridge and freezer from spoiling.

Here are some tips to help keep food safe:

-Refrigerated food lasts about four hours in a power outage, or as long as the fridge temperature stays 40 degrees or below, according to FoodSafety.gov.

-The first things to go bad are meat, eggs, seafood, poultry and anything labeled “keep refrigerated.”

-Some things are perfectly fine with no refrigeration, including hard cheeses, most condiments and butter.

-Frozen food should stay below zero. A full freezer lasts about two days before things start to thaw.

-Frozen foods can be refrozen or cooked if they still contain ice crystals and feel as cold as they would if refrigerated.

-Avoid opening fridge or freezer doors

-”When in doubt, throw it out” is the best advice when it comes to food and power outages.

ORLANDO, FLORIDA, UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 3: A volunteer picks up frozen meat packages at a disaster relief food distribution event sponsored by the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida and volunteers at Victoria Church on October 3, 2022 in Orlando, Florida. Hurricane Ian caused widespread power outages in Central Florida resulting in spoiled food which residents are finding difficult to replace due to rising prices at the grocery store. (Photo by Paul Hennessy/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) — A volunteer picks up frozen meat packages at a disaster relief food distribution event sponsored by the Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida and volunteers at Victoria Church on Oct. 3, 2022 in Orlando, Florida, after Hurricane Ian.
(Paul Hennessy/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)

There are ways to prepare if you know a storm is coming:

-Reduce temperature settings in the freezer and fridge to as low as possible.

-Fill empty freezer space with water bottles. They’ll help keep the freezer cooler longer, and can be used for cold drinking water.

-Keep a cup of water with a penny on top of it in your freezer. When the power goes out, it will help alert you if things have melted or refrozen. It can also help gauge how long a power outage lasted.

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