How long does food last in a fridge without power?
4 hours in a closed fridge. 48 hours in a full freezer, 24 if half full. Check yours below.
How long has the power been out?
Have the doors stayed shut?
Fridge thermometer reading
Your freezer
Does the food still have ice crystals?
Fridge
Sort it
After more than 4 hours without power, throw out perishables such as meat, fish, eggs, milk, soft cheese and leftovers. Keep the items marked Keep below.
Freezer
Still frozen
42 hours left
A full freezer holds a safe temperature for about 48 hours with the door shut. About 42 hours left.
- Throw out
- 34 food types
- Keep
- 16 food types
Next outage
Keeping a fridge running for a day takes about 1,980 Wh of battery, or a small generator.
Never taste food to decide. When in doubt, throw it out. USDA
The short answer
USDA says a closed fridge keeps food safe for up to 4 hours without power. A full freezer holds its temperature for about 48 hours, a half-full one about 24. After that, perishable food that sat above 40°F for more than 2 hours has to go. Never taste food to decide.
Keep or throw out
Fridge food above 40°F for more than 2 hours
| Food | Do this |
|---|---|
| Meat, poultry, seafood | |
| Raw or leftover cooked meat, poultry, fish, seafood; soy meat substitutes | Throw out |
| Thawing meat or poultry | Throw out |
| Meat, tuna, shrimp, chicken or egg salad | Throw out |
| Gravy, stuffing, broth | Throw out |
| Lunchmeats, hot dogs, bacon, sausage, dried beef | Throw out |
| Pizza, any topping | Throw out |
| Canned ham labeled "Keep Refrigerated" | Throw out |
| Canned meat and fish, opened | Throw out |
| Casseroles, soups, stews | Throw out |
| Cheese | |
| Soft cheeses: brie, blue, cottage, cream cheese, mozzarella, ricotta, Monterey Jack, queso fresco and similar | Throw out |
| Hard cheeses: cheddar, Colby, Swiss, Parmesan, provolone, Romano | Keep |
| Processed cheeses | Keep |
| Shredded cheeses | Throw out |
| Low-fat cheeses | Throw out |
| Grated Parmesan or Romano in a can or jar | Keep |
| Dairy and eggs | |
| Milk, cream, sour cream, buttermilk, evaporated milk, yogurt, eggnog, soy milk | Throw out |
| Butter, margarine | Keep |
| Baby formula, opened | Throw out |
| Fresh eggs, hard-cooked eggs, egg dishes, egg products | Throw out |
| Custards, puddings, quiche | Throw out |
| Fruit and vegetables | |
| Fresh fruit, cut | Throw out |
| Fresh fruit, uncut | Keep |
| Fruit juice, openedThe FoodSafety.gov chart says keep; the USDA list says discard. When in doubt, throw it out. | Sources differ |
| Canned fruit, opened | Keep |
| Dried fruit, raisins, candied fruit, dates | Keep |
| Sliced or shredded coconut | Throw out |
| Fresh vegetables, cut | Throw out |
| Fresh vegetables, uncut | Keep |
| Fresh mushrooms, herbs, spices | Keep |
| Pre-cut, pre-washed packaged greens | Throw out |
| Cooked vegetables, cooked tofu, baked potatoes, potato salad | Throw out |
| Vegetable juice, opened | Throw out |
| Garlic in oil | Throw out |
| Sauces and spreads | |
| Opened mayonnaise, tartar sauce, horseradishDiscard if held above 50°F for more than 8 hours. | Throw out |
| Peanut butter | Keep |
| Jelly, relish, taco sauce, mustard, ketchup, olives, pickles | Keep |
| Worcestershire, soy, barbecue, hoisin sauce | Keep |
| Fish sauce, oyster sauce | Throw out |
| Opened vinegar-based dressings | Keep |
| Opened creamy dressings | Throw out |
| Spaghetti sauce, opened | Throw out |
| Bread, grains, desserts | |
| Bread, rolls, cakes, muffins, quick breads, tortillas | Keep |
| Refrigerator biscuits, rolls, cookie dough | Throw out |
| Cooked pasta, rice, potatoes | Throw out |
| Pasta salad with mayonnaise or vinaigrette | Throw out |
| Fresh pasta | Throw out |
| Cheesecake | Throw out |
| Waffles, pancakes, bagels | Keep |
| Cream-filled pastries; pies with egg or milk filling | Throw out |
| Fruit pies | Keep |
Freezer food
| Food | Still has ice crystals | Above 40°F for 2+ hours |
|---|---|---|
| Meat and mains | ||
| Meat, poultry, seafood, all cuts | Refreeze | Throw out |
| Stews, soups | Refreeze | Throw out |
| Pasta or rice casseroles | Refreeze | Throw out |
| Frozen meals and convenience foods (pizza, meat pies, breakfast sandwiches) | Refreeze | Throw out |
| Dairy and eggs | ||
| MilkSome loss of texture if refrozen. | Refreeze | Throw out |
| Eggs out of shell, egg products | Refreeze | Throw out |
| Ice cream, frozen yogurt | Throw out | Throw out |
| Soft and semi-soft cheese | Refreeze | Throw out |
| Hard cheese | Refreeze | Refreeze |
| Shredded cheese | Refreeze | Throw out |
| Cheesecake | Refreeze | Throw out |
| Fruit and vegetables | ||
| Fruit juiceDiscard if mold, a yeasty smell or sliminess develops. | Refreeze | Refreeze |
| Packaged fruitDiscard if mold, a yeasty smell or sliminess develops. | Refreeze | Refreeze |
| Vegetable juiceDiscard after 6 hours above 40°F. | Refreeze | Throw out |
| Packaged or blanched vegetablesDiscard after 6 hours above 40°F. | Refreeze | Throw out |
| Bread and baking | ||
| Bread, rolls, muffins, cakes without custard filling | Refreeze | Refreeze |
| Cakes, pies, pastries with custard or cheese filling | Refreeze | Throw out |
| Pie crust, bread doughQuality loss can be considerable. | Refreeze | Refreeze |
| Flour, cornmeal, nuts | Refreeze | Refreeze |
| Waffles, pancakes, bagels | Refreeze | Refreeze |
From the FoodSafety.gov outage chart and USDA FSIS. Any food with an unusual smell, color or texture goes, whatever the chart says.
Questions
How long does food last in the fridge without power?
Up to 4 hours if the door stays closed (USDA). After that, throw out perishables such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, soft cheese and leftovers. Hard cheese, butter, uncut fruit and vegetables, bread and most condiments can stay.
How long does a freezer keep food frozen without power?
About 48 hours if it is full and about 24 hours if it is half full, as long as the door stays shut (USDA).
Can I refreeze food that has thawed?
Yes, if it still has ice crystals or has stayed at 40°F or below. Quality may suffer. Throw out ice cream and frozen yogurt either way.
The power was out overnight. Is my fridge food OK?
Overnight is usually more than 4 hours, so perishables in the fridge should go unless a thermometer shows 40°F or below. A closed, full freezer is normally still fine after one night.
How do I keep food cold longer in an outage?
Keep the doors closed. Move perishables to a cooler with ice or frozen gel packs and keep it at 40°F or below. USDA says 50 pounds of dry ice should hold an 18-cubic-foot freezer for 2 days. Never touch dry ice with bare hands.
Can I put food outside in the snow?
No. USDA advises against it: outdoor temperatures vary, and food can be exposed to animals and dirt. Freeze containers of water outside to make ice instead.
How do I keep my fridge running in the next outage?
A typical fridge needs about 1,980 Wh of battery for a day. Use the power station calculator or the generator calculator to size one for everything you want on.