Power outages may be unexpected and sometimes inconvenient. Luckily, your fridge can go without power and keep your food safe for up to 48 hours, depending on the food and how it's stored.
A brief lapse in power, one lasting a few minutes, won't affect thefood qualityin your refrigerator or freezer. Food also stays good in the fridge without power for four hours if you don't open any of the doors. Frozen food can remain good for 24 hours in a half-full freezer and 48 hours in a completely-full freezer.
Here's everything you need to know—including whenbacteria growthbecomes a threat and forces you to toss perishable food.
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Without power, fridges will likely remain at a safe temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder for up to four hours if doors are kept closed. Food in your freezer stays cold for even longer, lasting for about a day if the freezer is half-full or nearly 48 hours if it's full. If there's more food inside the freezer, it retains the cold temperature longer than if there is less food.
Still, don't be tempted to check on your food every few minutes. Opening the fridge or freezer accelerates a temperature increase. Your food can spoil quicker than if you keep the doors shut.
What to Do Before an Outage
Preparing for possible power outages lessens the health impacts of not having access to food. In addition to keeping non-perishable food, you can maximize the lifespan of your refrigerated and frozen foods.Those steps may include the following:
- Using freezing gel packs up to 40 degrees Fahrenheit or less to cool perishable refrigerated foods
- Obtaining a cooler and dry or block ice to store those foods if the power outage lasts longer than four hours
Remember to keep frozen meat away from other foods. If they start to thaw, their juices that may harbor bacteria won't mix with other foods if they are separate. If meat begins to thaw and it's not separated, you run the risk of contaminating other foods.
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During a power outage, you can use the appliance thermometers inside your fridge and freezer to determine if your food is safe.
Your fridge temperature should be 40 degrees Fahrenheit or lower. In contrast, the freezer should be zero degrees Fahrenheit or lower. If there's no thermometer inside the appliance to gauge the temperature, use a food thermometer on each item to see if it's safe to eat.
How to Preserve Your Food
For short-term power outages, keep your fridge and freezer doors shut. Move refrigerated foods to the ice if it's been over four hours during a power outage. Ensure that refrigerated and frozen food stays at 40 and zero degrees Fahrenheit or less, respectively. Then, you can reheat or cook frozen food during a power outage.
However, don't put your food outside to keep it cold, even during winter. Temperatures outdoors can vary and increase the chances of animal contact or unsanitary conditions.
What Is the Best Way To Cook?
How to Keep Your Fridge and Freezer Cold
If it's likely that your power will be out for several days, purchase dry or block ice for your fridge or freezer. The ice will maintain the temperature of any perishable items.
Which Food to Toss After an Outage
To help you determine which foods you can keep after a power outage, use the following as guidance:
| Foods to Keep and Toss After a Four-Hour Power Outage | |
|---|---|
| Foods to Keep | Foods to Toss |
| Butter and margarine | Batters or doughs |
| Dried fruits and coconut | Cut fresh fruit |
| Flour | Cut or cooked vegetables |
| Fresh whole fruits and vegetables | Dairy or cream-based foods |
| Fresh herbs and spices | Foods contaminated with raw meat, poultry, or fish juice drippings |
| Frozen foods that have thawed but still have ice crystals or remained at 40 degrees Fahrenheit or below | Foods with mold or an unusual odor |
| Hard and processed cheeses | Luncheon meat and hot dogs |
| High-acid foods (e.g., mustard, ketchup, pickles) | Opened mayo, tartar sauce, or horseradish if over 50 degrees Fahrenheit for more than eight hours |
| Most baked goods | Mixed salads, including ones like chicken or potato salads |
| Nuts | Pizza, soups, stews, or casseroles |
| Unopened fruit and vegetable juices | Any type of meat, poultry, fish, eggs, or egg substitutes |
Other Considerations
If you're unsure whether to toss your food, always err on the side of caution any time you're questioning the safety of your food. It's better to rely onshelf-stable pantry itemsfor your meals.
You also shouldn't taste perishable foods to see if they're spoiled. Instead, checking the temperature of your food will ultimately tell you if it's safe to eat. Any refrigerated food that sits above 40 degrees Fahrenheit for more than four hours is prone to collecting bacteria. Bacteria increase the risk of foodborne illness.
Symptoms of foodborne illness, which typically occur one to three days after eating contaminated food, include:
- Body aches and pains, mainly near the abdomen
- Diarrhea
- Fever
- Headache
- Vomiting
People with foodborne illnesses usually recover shortly after. If you have severe symptoms, like dehydration, consult a healthcare provider right away.
What Is Food Poisoning?
Refrigerated food will stay good for four hours if your power goes out. Frozen food will stay good for one day in a half-full freezer and two days in a completely-full freezer.
Ensure you do not eat food at a temperature above 40 degrees Fahrenheit for longer than four hours. During that time, the food is at a high risk of entering the "danger zone," where it collects bacteria and increases your risk of foodborne illness.
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6 Sources
Health.com uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Food safety for power outages.
Food Safety and Inspection Service. Freezing and food safety.
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Keep your food safe during emergencies: power outages, floods & fires.
Food Safety and Inspection Service. Food safety during power outage.
Food Safety and Inspection Service. "Danger zone" (40 °F - 140 °F).
Food and Drug Administration. Food and water safety during power outages and floods.
