Overview
- Refrigerated food stays safe for about four hours without power if doors remain closed, after which perishable meats, poultry, fish, eggs and leftovers should be discarded.
- A full freezer can keep food safe for roughly 48 hours if unopened, or about 24 hours when half-full, and items with ice crystals or at 40°F or below may be cooked or refrozen.
- Perishables held above 40°F for more than two hours—including meats, seafood, egg or tuna salads, soups, stews, gravies and soft or shredded cheeses—should be thrown away.
- Preparation steps include using appliance thermometers, pre-freezing water and foods, grouping freezer items, keeping doors closed, avoiding taste tests and following the USDA motto, “When in Doubt, Throw it Out.”
- Local guidance warns of possible water pressure loss and boil advisories, urges storing at least one gallon per person per day and keeping grills and generators outdoors, with a simple quarter-on-frozen-cup test offering a rough check for prolonged thawing.