Protect Refrigerated Food During an Outage
Original preparedness explainer · Reviewed as a draft October 29, 2026 · General U.S. guidance
Food safety depends on time and temperature, not simply on smell. Doors left open repeatedly make safe storage time shorter.
Use appliance thermometers if available. Ready.gov advises discarding refrigerated perishables that have been at 40°F or above for more than four hours.
When uncertain about potentially unsafe perishables, choose safety and consult current FDA/USDA or local health department guidance.
Prepare battery-powered lighting, charging options, food-safety supplies and a plan for medical equipment that needs electricity. Never run a generator, charcoal grill or camp stove indoors or in an attached garage.
Put this into action
Choose one manageable improvement today. Confirm current warnings and local instructions with your city/county emergency management agency and the National Weather Service.