So Your Power Went Out For Hours, Is The Food From The Refrigerator Safe To Keep?

That is why the USDA suggests keeping things like meats, fish, and eggs at or below 40 °F. Well, each appliance will probably differ to an extent, but the USDA suggests things will last just four hours in a fridge. Your refrigerator will keep food safe for up to 4 hours during a power outage. Keep the door closed as much as possible. Discard refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and leftovers after 4 hours without power,” according to the USDA. Opening and closing your fridge or freezer during a power outage will obviously be detrimental to the preservation of items inside of it, but sometimes it is unavoidable. Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature. The refrigerator will keep food safely cold for about 4 hours if it is unopened. A full freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed If your power has been out for more than four hours you aren’t completely out of luck, there are items that are often stored in a fridge that might not have to be thrown out if they reach a temperature above 40 °F. Fresh uncut fruits and veggies are also a safe bet to save; for a comprehensive list of items and whether or not you should keep it or discard it, visit the USDA website