Power outage guide
What stays safe, what to throw out, and what to eat when the power is off and you cannot cook.
Food-safety times and temperatures are from USDA, FDA, and the Red Cross, checked 2026-11-05. This page is not medical advice. When in doubt, throw it out.
Keep the doors closed. An unopened refrigerator keeps food cold for about 4 hours. A full freezer holds about 48 hours; a half-full freezer about 24. Discard perishables that were above 40°F for more than 2 hours. Never taste food to decide whether it is safe.
A power outage is a food-safety problem before it is a recipe problem. The first hour is about keeping the cold in; the next day is about using shelf-stable food and a manual can opener.
The answer depends on the appliance, how full it is, and how often the door opens. These are the official planning times, not a guarantee.
| Appliance | Door closed | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | About 4 hours | After that, discard perishables that were above 40°F for more than 2 hours. |
| Full freezer | About 48 hours | Refreeze or cook if the food is 40°F or below, or still has ice crystals. |
| Half-full freezer | About 24 hours | Same test: 40°F or below, or ice crystals, before refreezing. |
The 4-hour number is how long the refrigerator holds cold. The 2-hour number is the food-safety line: once perishable food has been above 40°F for more than 2 hours, the official guidance is to discard it. In hot weather, FDA shortens the room-temperature limit to 1 hour above 90°F.
Use a refrigerator thermometer if you have one. If you do not, judge by time and temperature, not by appearance or smell. This is a simplified guide; the full FoodSafety.gov chart is the source.
| Food | Action | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Meat, poultry, seafood | Discard | Raw or cooked, including thawing meat. |
| Soft cheese | Discard | Brie, cottage, cream, mozzarella, shredded, low-fat. |
| Milk, cream, yogurt | Discard | Including soy milk and opened baby formula. |
| Eggs | Discard | Fresh shell eggs, cooked eggs, egg dishes. |
| Cooked leftovers | Discard | Casseroles, soups, stews, gravy, stuffing, pizza. |
| Cut fruit | Discard | Uncut fruit usually keeps. |
| Opened canned meat or fish | Discard | The can is no longer a safe container after opening. |
| Creamy dressing, opened sauce | Discard | Mayonnaise if above 50°F for more than 8 hours. |
| Food | Action | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Hard or processed cheese | Keep | Cheddar, Swiss, Parmesan, processed cheese. |
| Butter and margarine | Keep | Keep wrapped and cool. |
| Uncut fruit, dried fruit | Keep | Cut fruit is in the discard group. |
| Peanut butter, jelly, mustard, pickles | Keep | Check the lid and smell; discard if contaminated. |
| Vinegar-based dressing | Keep | Creamy dressing is in the discard group. |
| Bread, cakes, muffins, tortillas | Keep | Keep dry and covered. |
| Opened canned fruit | Keep | Refrigerate and eat first. |
A no-cook menu is a combination problem: protein, a grain or cracker, a fruit or vegetable, and a fat. Use the refrigerator food first, then the pantry.
| Meal | Options | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | Cereal with shelf-stable milk; peanut butter on bread; canned fruit | Protein and a familiar routine |
| Lunch | Canned tuna or chicken with crackers; bean salad; nuts and dried fruit | No cooking, no refrigerator |
| Dinner | Ready-to-eat chili or soup; canned vegetables; bread or tortillas | Use the refrigerator food first |
| Snacks | Granola bars, nuts, seeds, dried fruit, applesauce cups | Easy calories between meals |
For three days, the checklist baseline is 4.5 lb of dry food and 3 gallons of water per person. For two weeks, it is 21 lb and 14 gallons. Add a manual can opener, a cooler, a thermometer, and a way to cook outdoors if you have one.
Use the emergency food checklist for the printable quantities, the food storage calculator for a longer reserve, and the emergency water storage guide for the water side.
Carbon monoxide is the hidden risk in a power outage. Never use a charcoal grill, camping stove, or portable generator indoors, in a garage, or near a window. Cook outdoors only, and keep the generator outside and away from windows.
An unopened refrigerator keeps food cold for about 4 hours. A full freezer holds about 48 hours; a half-full freezer about 24 hours. Keep the doors closed, and discard perishable food that has been above 40°F for more than 2 hours.
Yes, if the food is still at 40°F or below or still contains ice crystals. Check each package; appearance and smell are not reliable. If the food has been warmer than 40°F for more than 2 hours, discard it.
Discard meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, soft cheese, cooked leftovers, cut fruit, opened canned meat, and creamy dressings that were above 40°F for more than 2 hours. Hard cheese, butter, uncut fruit, peanut butter, jelly, mustard, pickles, and bread usually survive. When in doubt, throw it out.
Use ready-to-eat food: canned fish or chicken, beans, peanut butter, nuts, crackers, bread, shelf-stable milk, canned fruit, dried fruit, and cereal. Add a manual can opener and a utensil for each person. Keep the menu simple and use food from the refrigerator first.
No. Do not use a charcoal grill, camping stove, or portable generator indoors, in a garage, or near a window. They produce carbon monoxide. Cook outdoors only, and use flashlights rather than candles.
A 3-day supply covers evacuation; a 2-week supply covers a home outage. At the planning rate, 3 days is 4.5 lb of dry food and 3 gallons of water per person; 2 weeks is 21 lb and 14 gallons. The checklist page has the printable quantities.
The times and temperatures are from the official sources below, checked 2026-11-05. The no-cook menu and shopping list are planning suggestions, not official guidance.
| Source | What it establishes | How this page uses it | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|
| FoodSafety.gov — Food Safety During Power Outage | An unopened refrigerator keeps food safe up to 4 hours; discard perishables above 40°F for more than 2 hours; never taste food to judge safety. | The 4-hour and 2-hour rules, and the keep/discard table. | |
| FDA — Food and Water Safety During Power Outages and Floods | A full freezer holds about 48 hours (24 if half full); refrigerated food is safe about 4 hours; discard food held at room temperature 2 hours or more (1 hour above 90°F). | The freezer times, the room-temperature rule, and the thermometer check. | |
| American Red Cross — Power Outage | Keep food cold, throw out food warmer than 40°F, use flashlights not candles, and do not use outdoor stoves indoors. | The safety and carbon-monoxide boundaries. | |
| FEMA / Ready.gov — Food | Stock non-perishable food that needs no refrigeration or cooking; manage food without power. | The 3-day and 2-week supply framing. |
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