Power Outage Food Calculator
Enter how long the power was out, whether the freezer was full, and whether the fridge stayed shut. The calculator applies the federal food-safety lines - 4 hours for an unopened fridge, 48 for a full freezer, 24 for a half one - and returns one plain verdict.
Outage articles bury the numbers in paragraphs while you are standing in front of the fridge with a flashlight. This one is the chart as a decision: keep it all, clear the fridge, or bin everything thawed - with the refreeze rule and the when-in-doubt clause attached.
How to use
- Enter the outage hours - round up, be honest about door openings.
- Say how packed the freezer was; a full one simply holds cold longer.
- Follow the verdict: ice-crystal food refreezes, warm or slimy never keeps.
Frequently asked questions
How long is food safe in the fridge without power?
About 4 hours unopened - that is the federal line for a fridge holding 4 C. Every opening trades cold air for room air, so after an hour of peeking treat the clock as done. Past 4 hours, meat, dairy, leftovers and cut fruit go to the bin without a sniff test.
How long does a freezer keep food frozen without power?
A full freezer holds 48 hours, a half-full one 24 - a freezer packed with water jugs is the cheapest insurance going. Food that still has ice crystals can be refrozen safely; anything thawed to room temperature and held above 4 C is a toss.
Can I refreeze food that thawed in an outage?
If it still has ice crystals and feels refrigerator-cold, yes - quality dips, safety holds. Anything slimy, warm, or ballooning its packaging is gone, and the rule that outranks all of them: when in doubt, throw it out. The groceries are cheaper than the hospital.
What should I do to prepare the fridge for a storm?
Freeze water bottles tonight - they extend the hold and become drinking water. Group the freezer into a tight block so it self-insulates, know where the fridge thermometer sits, and skip the grocery run the day the storm lands: a half-empty fridge is a short clock.