power outage Archives - foodisinthehouse.com

Here is How to Save Your Food From Spoiling During Power Outages

Jessica P — Sun, 18 Sep 2022 16:08:00 +0000

Power outages are unpredictable and can happen anytime, especially during extreme weather. In most cases, they are resolved quickly, but sometimes it can take hours and even days for the power suppliers to find out what is causing the outage and how to fix it. In the meantime, your fridge and freezer are warming up, and the food inside is inching closer to being spoiled. Here is what you should do to prevent that.

Don’t Open the Fridge

In case of a power outage, don’t open the fridge to check on your food. Even without a power supply, the fridge will keep the food cool for at least four hours when unopened, according to FDA. On the other hand, the freezer will keep the food safe for 24 hours if half full and up to 48 hours if full if you don’t open it.

Group the Food in the Freezer

Before you shut the freezer for good until the power comes back again, group the food. This will keep it colder for longer.

Have Coolers and Ice Packs on Hand

Coolers are essential household items. They come in handy when you are embarking on a road trip or picnic but can also help you during power outages. If the power outage ends up lasting for several hours, transfer the food prone to spoiling to a cooler and surround it with ice packs you previously stored in your freezer for emergency use.

Buy Dry or Block Ice

In case that power outage persists, you might want to think about buying dry or block ice. According to FDA, fifty pounds of dry ice should keep an “18 cubic foot, fully stocked freezer cold for two days.”

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Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Put Food Outside if Your Freezer Loses Power

Ariel H — Thu, 08 Jul 2021 08:35:00 +0000

Have you lost power due to the extreme weather around the country? One of your concerns may be keeping the food and drinks in your fridge and freezer cool. While many people use the cold weather to their advantage by keeping their perishable or frozen items outside in the snow and cold when their power goes down, it’s not the safest idea.

Doing the Research

According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), there are a number of reasons why you shouldn’t do this. Among them is that the sun’s rays can thaw food even when it’s freezing cold outside and perishable items can be exposed to unsanitary conditions or animals that can cause bacteria and disease.

Other Options

So what are you supposed to do if you’re out of power? The good news is that the fridge will keep food cold for about four hours if it remains closed. A freezer will hold the temperature for about 48 hours if it’s full and 24 hours if it’s half full as long as the door remains closed.

If the power is out for a while, it’s best to get dry or block ice to keep your fridge cold. You can even make you own ice by filling buckets, empty milk cartons, or cans with water and leaving them outside so they can freeze. Then you can use them in your fridge, freezer, or coolers.

The post Here’s Why You Shouldn’t Put Food Outside if Your Freezer Loses Power appeared first on foodisinthehouse.com.