The storm knocked out the power on your block in Meridian-Kessler, and the fridge has been dark since dinner. Refrigerated food is OK for up to 4 hours in a power outage, as long as the fridge stays closed.
A full freezer holds for about 48 hours, and a half-full one for about 24, if you keep the door shut.
After 4 hours without power, throw out the meat, milk, eggs and leftovers from the fridge. That's a lot of food to lose. Most home policies won't pay for it, either.
Was the power out more than 4 hours, or did food sit at 40 °F or warmer for more than 2 hours? Sort the fridge with this table, which follows the charts from FoodSafety.gov and the USDA. The cut fruit and vegetables row follows the CDC. It says to toss them after 4 hours without power.
| Food in the fridge | Keep or toss? |
|---|---|
| Raw or cooked meat, chicken or fish | Toss |
| Lunch meat, hot dogs, bacon | Toss |
| Leftovers, soups, stews, pizza | Toss |
| Milk, cream, yogurt, sour cream | Toss |
| Eggs and egg dishes | Toss |
| Soft cheese, like cream cheese, cottage cheese or mozzarella | Toss |
| Shredded cheese | Toss |
| Hard cheese, like cheddar, Swiss or Parmesan | Keep |
| Butter or margarine | Keep |
| Whole fresh fruit and vegetables | Keep |
| Cut fresh fruit and vegetables | Toss |
| Bagged salad greens | Toss |
| Mustard, ketchup, pickles, jelly | Keep |
| Opened mayo or tartar sauce | Toss if it was above 50 °F for more than 8 hours |
| Creamy salad dressing | Toss |
| Bread, rolls, muffins, fruit pies | Keep |
| Custard, cheese or cream pies | Toss |
| Opened baby formula | Toss |
Never taste food to check it. If anything smells, looks or feels wrong, toss it, even if the table says keep.
How long is refrigerated food OK in a power outage?
Up to 4 hours, if you keep the door closed. The USDA's power outage page says the fridge will keep food safe for up to 4 hours. A full freezer holds its cold for about 48 hours, or 24 if it's half full.
Read the exact wording
"The refrigerator will keep food safe for up to 4 hours."
"A full freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full)."
From USDA, power outages
Each time you open the door, cold air rushes out. Keep both doors shut. Don't peek.
Start the clock
Write down the time the power went out. Better yet, set a 4-hour timer on your phone, so when it goes off with the lights still out, you'll know it's time to deal with the fridge.
If it's going to be a long one
If it stays off longer, the USDA says you can move food to a cooler with ice, and you'll want to keep that cooler at 40 °F or below.
Is the power still out? If AES Indiana is your power company, its outage map shows all current outages. Its outage FAQ page says you can report yours, or get the latest restore time, on its Lights Out line, 317-261-8111, day or night.
What fridge food is safe after a power outage?
Hard cheese, butter, whole fruit and vegetables, bread and jars like mustard and pickles are fine. Meat, milk, eggs, soft cheese and leftovers aren't, once the fridge has been off more than 4 hours.
FoodSafety.gov sorts every food on its chart by one test: was it at 40 °F or above for more than 2 hours?
If a food that needs the cold sat that warm for that long, it goes, and the table near the top of this page shows which foods those are.
Read the exact wording
"Exposed to temperatures of 40°F (4°C) or above for more than 2 hours"
What about the freezer?
Food in the freezer follows its own rule, and it's kinder. FoodSafety.gov says food that's still at 40 °F or below is safe to refreeze, though it may not be quite as good.
If it still has ice crystals, you can freeze it again. One catch: the chart says to toss ice cream and frozen yogurt, even if they still have ice crystals.
Read the exact wording
"Food may be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or is at 40°F (4°C) or below, however, its quality may suffer."
What should you check once the power is back?
Check that the fridge gets cold again. The USDA says the fridge should be at 40 °F or below, and the freezer at 0 °F or below. A thermometer in each one tells you.
Give it a little time first. GE's Does Not Run or Cool page tells you what its fridges do when the power comes back. If it stays dead after a storm, see whether AES Indiana pays for power surge damage.
After a short outage, a GE fridge may wait a bit while a safety part lets the system settle, and then it starts cooling on its own. You don't need to unplug it.
Read the exact wording
"If there was a short power outage, the compressor overload will cycle on and off (not the compressor) until the refrigerant system equalizes at which point the compressor will start and refrigeration will resume. There is no need to cycle the power to the Refrigerator for this to happen."
Is your fridge plugged into an extension cord? Some brands say never do that. See what each brand says about extension cords.
GE also says a defrost cycle can stop the fridge for up to 30 to 45 minutes. It depends on the model.
If it still won't get down to 40 °F, it may need a repair. See who we send repair calls to, and why.
Your after-outage checklist
- Read the thermometers: 40 °F or below in the fridge, and 0 °F or below in the freezer.
- Sort the fridge with the table above. Toss anything that smells or looks wrong.
- Check the freezer for ice crystals before you refreeze anything.
- Give the fridge time to start cooling on its own.
- Check the plug, and whether it's on an extension cord.
Before the next outage
- Put a thermometer in the fridge and the freezer, so you can read 40 °F and 0 °F at a glance.
- Keep the freezer full. A full one holds for about 48 hours, and a half-full one for only about 24.
- Keep a cooler handy for when the power stays off past 4 hours.
Will home insurance pay for food you throw out?
Not under most standard home policies. The Indiana Department of Insurance says most of them leave out food that spoils in a power outage. They leave out water damage from a backed-up drain or sewer, too.
Read the exact wording
"food spoilage due to a power outage and water damage from backed-up drains or sewers are not covered under most standard homeowners policies."
From Indiana Department of Insurance, winter weather and insurance
Plan on paying for the lost food yourself. The state's page adds that some insurers sell add-ons for it. Ask your agent. Your own policy may differ, too, so read the part about food and power outages before the next storm rolls through. For the rest of what a home policy covers, see will home insurance pay for a broken appliance.