The USDA also recommends keeping bottles of water in your freezer. Not only will this help keep frozen food cold longer, but also you will also have a supply of fresh drinking water in case your water supply becomes contaminated. If water bottles are in short supply, which often happens when a storm is approaching, freeze fresh water in clean, quart-sized storage bags or food-safe plastic containers.
If there is a possibility of a power outage, the FDA also suggests transferring some of your refrigerated food to your freezer to keep it at a safe temperature for a longer period of time. Items such as milk, meats, and leftovers that you don't need immediately can be safely transferred to the freezer during a power outage. If it looks as though your power will be out for more than two to four hours, the American National Red Cross recommends packing refrigerated food into a cooler.
You'll want the temperature to stay at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, so make sure the cooler is packed with ice. If the power is going to be out for more than a day, prepare a second cooler for your freezer items. Any food that has been exposed to temperatures above 40 degrees Fahrenheit for more than two hours, or above 90 degrees Fahrenheit for more than one hour, should be thrown away.
If your power goes out during a winter storm, you may be tempted to keep some of your food outside in the ice or snow, but it isn't a good idea.
According to the USDA , the temperatures outside can fluctuate hour to hour depending on how much sunlight there is, which will cause the food to spoil. It can also attract wild animals looking for a meal. Try to keep your pantry stocked with nonperishable foods, and make sure you have a manual can opener since an electric one without batteries will not work if the power goes out. Things like cans of beans and vegetables can last on the shelf for two to five years according to the USDA's FoodKeeper app.
However, some things can be refrozen if they have ice crystals or the temperature feels cold like they've been in the fridge. For a detailed list of what to do with specific fridge and freezer foods, head over to the FoodSafety.
Although it's not ideal to lose power, and it's a big bummer to have to throw out food, it's much better to be safe than sorry. You don't want yourself or your family to eat something that's gone bad and could cause you to get sick. Power Outage? By Jennifer Aldrich Updated May 14, Each product we feature has been independently selected and reviewed by our editorial team. If available, use a watch and a thermometer to follow these time and temperature recommendations.
Eat perishable foods first and save the dried and canned food until last. The advice offered here refers to any or all potentially hazardous food except those normally kept at room temperature or jams, pickles and other acid foods.
Important note: If you are unsure about the time that has passed or the temperature your food has been stored at then throwing the food out is the safest option. A sudden or unplanned power cut will not allow much time for you to safely store your foods. Your food will remain safe in your refrigerator for 2 hours, but there are some steps you can take:. Your food will remain safe in your refrigerator for 2 hours.
If it has been more than 4 hours, throw the food out. The best option is to keep the refrigerated foods as cold as possible by not opening the door unless necessary to remove food to eat or check the temperature after 2 hours. If this is not possible:. Note that while there will not be a food safety issue in refreezing defrosted foods, the quality of the food may be slighted deteriorated. Throw out food that was being cooked when the power failed if cooking cannot be completed properly within 2 hours.
Otherwise, dilute any concentrated baby formula in reconditioned, all-metal containers with clean drinking water. Consuming dangerous foodborne bacteria will usually cause illness within 1 to 3 days of eating the contaminated food. However, sickness can also occur within 20 minutes or up to 6 weeks later. Although most people will recover from a foodborne illness within a short period of time, some can develop chronic, severe, or even life-threatening health problems.
Foodborne illness can sometimes be confused with other illnesses that have similar symptoms.
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