Lost Power During a Winter Storm? You Can Still Save the Food in Your Fridge

Winter Storm Hernando is sweeping across the northeastern United States, putting lives at risk and disrupting hundreds of flights.

Even if you stay at home, you may have to face the serious problem of power outages. Unless you have a backup generator, you might worry not only about freezing temperatures, but also a lot of ruined food: If the power goes out, so does your refrigerator.

But all is not lost. If you just took a trip to the grocery store to prepare for the storm, you don’t have to say goodbye to all your money and supplies. The safety of your perishables depends entirely on your ability to trap the cold you already have. Every time you open the door to “check” the milk, you leak the insulation that keeps your food out of the danger zone. Depending on how long the electricity stays off, your freezer can actually act as its own battery, if you know how to pack it properly.

You don’t have to lose your entire investment just because the lines are down. If you’re hunkered down against the elements, here’s how to protect your food in the event of a power outage.

Here’s everything you need to know.

How long is food good for in the refrigerator without electricity?

According to the Food and Drug Administration, food in the refrigerator will stay cold for about four hours as long as you keep the doors closed, while a full freezer can stay frozen for up to 48 hours.

If you want to be safer, you can keep a device thermometer in your freezer, which can help confirm that the freezer remained below 40 degrees Fahrenheit during the power outage. If so, all foods can be safely refrozen, the FDA says.

Make a plan to store your food before a power outage occurs

Before you face a power outage, it’s best to take some preparedness steps in case you need to preserve your food. The recommendation from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is to have the following items on hand:

• Thermometers for household appliances for your refrigerator and freezer, so you can monitor if their temperatures rise and if you need to start removing food. The refrigerator should not exceed 40 degrees Fahrenheit and the freezer should not exceed 0 degrees F.
• A cooler and frozen gel packsin case you need to take food out of the refrigerator to keep it cool.
• Dry ice or block ice to keep food cold in the refrigerator, if you expect the power to be out for a long time.

Do this first to preserve your food in case the power goes out.

In the event of a breakdown, keep your refrigerator and freezer doors closed. Only open them if you absolutely need to, and even then, try to do it quickly so as not to let cold air escape. If the doors remain closed, your food can stay safe for up to four hours in a refrigerator, 48 hours in a full freezer, and 24 hours in a half-full freezer, according to the CDC.

Once you’ve passed the four-hour mark (or you notice that the temperature inside the refrigerator has risen above 40 degrees Fahrenheit) and the power is still out, it’s time to start taking food out of the refrigerator. If perishable food has been left in the refrigerator after this time, you will need to throw it all away.

The exception here would be if you have dry ice. You can put dry ice on the top shelf of your freezer and the bottom shelf of your refrigerator, and it will keep your perishables cold. You need about 3 pounds of dry ice per cubic foot of freezer space, which should keep food cold for at least two days. Just make sure you know how to handle dry ice safely before using it.

Separate your food into two groups

First, you’ll make two piles: foods that absolutely need to be kept cold and foods that you can safely leave on the counter until power is restored.

Foods that do not need to be kept cold

The following foods can be safely stored outside the refrigerator:

• Butter (for 1-2 days)
• Peanut butter
• Most cooking oils, except nut oils
• Herbs
• Potatoes
• Most fruits and vegetables
• Bread
• Coffee
• Dear
• Ketchup, mustard and hot sauce

Foods that need to be kept cold

The following foods should be stored at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower to prevent bacteria growth and spoilage:

• Dairy products (cheese, milk, whipped cream, sour cream)
• Eggs
• Meats, poultry and fish (cooked or raw)
• Cut fruits and vegetables
• Remains

How to Keep Your Perishable Foods Fresh Without a Refrigerator

Once you have your pile of perishables, it’s time to get out your cooler and ice packs. Put a layer of frozen food on the bottom. Then, place a layer of food from the refrigerator on top of this layer. Top it off with another layer of frozen food. If you don’t have ice or ice packs, go to the store and buy some if you can do so safely.

Layer ice or ice blocks around food in the cooler – don’t just throw everything on top or under it. Dispensing ice will keep food at a more consistent temperature. Move the thermometer from your refrigerator inside the cooler to monitor the temperature.

If you don’t have a cooler, you can use your freezer instead: it’s insulated and will keep your food cold as long as you keep the door closed and keep a supply of fresh ice in it. To prevent melting ice from turning your freezer into a pond, put ice in bowls and place them around food.

You should never taste a food to see if it has gone bad. When in doubt, throw it away, advises the CDC. Immediately throw away any food with an unusual odor, color or texture. When it comes to frozen foods, you can safely refreeze or cook thawed frozen foods that are 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder, or that still contain ice crystals.

For more power outage tips, learn everything you need to know about home generators and consider whether a home battery backup might be a better option.