Here’s what to toss from your fridge or freezer (& when) after a power outage
Start prepping for a power outage before one happens. Here’s how you can get your kitchen ready — particularly your refrigerator — when a storm is headed your way.
We previously spoke with Ellen Shumaker, a food safety expert with NC State Extension, about staying safe when foods haven’t been properly refrigerated during and after a power outage. Here is helpful info from that conversation.
How to prepare your fridge for a power outage
Have these items on hand, Shumaker said:
A food thermometer to determine if certain foods are safe to eat.
A thermometer in the fridge to make sure the refrigerator stays below 41 degrees.
Ice, which you can buy or make ahead of time by freezing water. Store this in a trusty cooler so you can keep perishable food longer.
Thawed foods that still have ice crystals can be refrozen or cooked, Shumaker said.
How long can I keep food in my fridge/freezer during a power outage?
Perishables and frozen foods can stay safe for a limited amount of time in your fridge and freezer. But you have to keep the door closed.
Here’s how long your food will stay safe without power if the doors always stay closed, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:
Fridge: Up to four hours.
Full freezer: Up to 48 hours
Half-full freezer: Up to 24 hours
How long will milk/eggs last during a power outage?
Milk, eggs, fish, meat and leftovers will last four hours in the refrigerator, as long as the door stays closed the entire time.
Key tips:
Make sure you throw out any food with an unusual color, smell or texture.
Never taste food to see if it’s safe to eat.
When in doubt, throw it out.
For more information, visit cdc.gov/food-safety.
Can I store food in a cooler with ice during a power outage?
Yes, you can put refrigerated perishable foods inside a cooler with ice after four hours without power, the CDC says.
Add ice or another cold source to keep them below 41 degrees.
Throw out these foods during a power outage
You’ll need to toss all perishable foods — including meat, fish, cut fruits and vegetables, eggs, milk and leftovers — if your refrigerator has been without power for four hours, the CDC says.
If frozen foods in your freezer have thawed, you should throw those out too.
Here’s a list of foods that should be discarded if they reach above 41 degrees for more than four hours, Shumaker said:
Meat, poultry, fish, seafood and meat substitutes. This includes those that are raw, thawing or cooked and leftover.
Salads made from meat, tuna, shrimp, chicken or eggs.
Gravies, stuffings or broths.
Lunch meats, hot dogs, bacon, sausage or dried beef.
Milk, sour cream, buttermilk, evaporated milk, ice cream, yogurt, eggnog or plant-based alternatives.
Opened infant formula.
Soft or shredded cheeses.
Egg products, including fresh eggs and egg dishes.
Oyster and fish sauces.
Opened cream-based dressings.
Opened pasta sauce.
Cream-filled pastries, custard or cheese filled pies, quiches or cheesecake.
Refrigerator biscuits, rolls and doughs.
Cooked pasta, rice potatoes, pasta salads or fresh pasta.
Pre-cut, pre-washed packaged leafy greens.
Cooked vegetables or tofu.
Opened vegetable juice.
Cooked potatoes or potato dishes.
Commercial garlic in oil.
Cut tomatoes and cut melons.
Leftovers such as casseroles, soups and stews.
Toss open mayonnaise, tartar sauce or horseradish if it reaches a temperature above 50 degrees for eight hours.
Infant food safety during a power outage
Follow these instructions from NC State Extension to best store human milk during a power outage:
Freeze as much of your supply as possible. Sealed bags or bottles of milk can be frozen into quart zip bags of water to allow for an extra layer of ice.
Freeze milk in single serving portions to prevent thawing more than what will be used immediately.
Use safe, drinking quality water if heating bottles.
Use cleaned, sanitized bottles and containers.
Know that human milk can support the growth of harmful bacteria if left at temperatures above 41 degrees for more than two hours.
Here’s how to keep baby food safe:
Use canned, prepared formula and commercially packaged baby food in cans, jars or pouches if possible.
Make sure foods in non-waterproof containers do not come in contact with flood waters.
Avoid thawing frozen food by placing food in water or leaving at room temperature.
Do not leave food above 41°F for over 2 hours (one hour if food temperature is 90 degrees or higher).
Reheat refrigerated or frozen baby food to at least 165 degrees.
Get more information at foodsafety.ces.ncsu.edu/power-outages.
This story was originally published September 30, 2024 at 10:27 AM with the headline "Here’s what to toss from your fridge or freezer (& when) after a power outage."
