How Long Does Food Last in the Fridge Without Power?
The hours your fridge and freezer give you, a clear keep or throw away chart for every shelf, and what to do with medicine and baby formula.
About 4 hours for the fridge and about 48 hours for a full freezer (24 hours if it is half full), as long as you keep the doors closed. After that, throw away perishable food that has been at 40°F or above for more than 2 hours: meat, poultry, fish, milk, soft cheese, eggs and leftovers. Hard cheese, butter, whole fruit and most condiments can usually stay. Never taste food to check it.
When the power goes out, the clock starts on everything in your fridge. The good news is that a closed fridge and freezer hold their cold longer than most people think. The bad news is that you cannot tell if food is safe by looking at it or smelling it.
This guide follows the USDA chart published on FoodSafety.gov and the CDC's power outage advice.
In this guide
- Keep the doors closed. Every time you open them, you lose some of those 4 hours (fridge) and 48 hours (full freezer).
- A thermometer decides, not your nose. Food at 40°F or above for more than 2 hours goes in the trash.
- Frozen food that still has ice crystals, or is at 40°F or below, can be refrozen or cooked.
- If the power is out for more than a day, refrigerated medicine needs a call to your pharmacist.
How long will food stay cold without power?
These are the numbers from the USDA and the CDC. They only hold if the doors stay shut the whole time.
| Appliance | Food stays safe for about | Only if |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator | 4 hours | The door stays closed |
| Full freezer | 48 hours | The door stays closed |
| Half-full freezer | 24 hours | The door stays closed |
A full freezer lasts longer because the frozen packages keep each other cold. A half-empty one warms up twice as fast.
The safe temperatures to remember: the fridge should be at 40°F or below, the freezer at 0°F or below.
What to do while the power is out
Do these four things, in this order, from the first minute of the outage:
Step01Keep both doors closed
Tell everyone in the house, kids included. Decide what you need before you open the door, take it out fast and close it. Eat fresh, perishable food from the counter first.
Step02Check the thermometer, not the clock
An appliance thermometer on a fridge shelf and one in the freezer tell you the real temperature. Without one, you have to go by time alone, and you will throw away more food.
Step03After 4 hours, move food to a cooler
If you have a cooler and ice, move meat, milk, leftovers and other perishables into it, with ice or frozen gel packs, so they stay at 40°F or below.
Step04Sort the food when the power returns
Check the thermometer first. Then go shelf by shelf with the chart below, one item at a time. When in doubt, throw it out.
If the outage looks long, the CDC suggests buying dry ice or block ice to keep the fridge cold. While you wait, see our power outage checklist for light, phones and news.
What to throw away and what you can keep
This chart is for food that sat at 40°F or above for more than 2 hours. It is a shorter version of the USDA chart on FoodSafety.gov. Check each item separately.
| Food in your fridge | Keep or throw away? |
|---|---|
| Raw or cooked meat, poultry, fish, seafood | Throw away |
| Lunch meat, hot dogs, bacon, sausage | Throw away |
| Leftovers, casseroles, soups, stews, pizza | Throw away |
| Milk, cream, sour cream, yogurt | Throw away |
| Eggs and egg dishes, custards, puddings | Throw away |
| Soft cheese (cottage, cream, Brie, mozzarella), shredded cheese | Throw away |
| Hard cheese (Cheddar, Swiss, Parmesan, provolone) | Keep |
| Butter, margarine | Keep |
| Cut fruit, cut vegetables, bagged salad greens | Throw away |
| Whole uncut fruit and vegetables | Keep |
| Opened fruit juice, opened canned fruit | Keep |
| Opened spaghetti sauce, creamy dressings | Throw away |
| Mustard, ketchup, jelly, pickles, peanut butter, soy and barbecue sauce | Keep |
| Opened mayonnaise, tartar sauce | Throw away if above 50°F for more than 8 hours |
| Bread, rolls, cakes, bagels, fruit pies | Keep |
| Cooked pasta, rice, potatoes; cheesecake; cream pies | Throw away |
| Opened baby formula | Throw away |
Never taste or sniff food to decide if it is safe. The bacteria that make people sick do not always change the smell or the taste. Also throw away anything with an unusual smell, color or texture.
Can you refreeze food from the freezer?
Yes, if it still has ice crystals or is at 40°F or below. It may lose some texture or flavor, but it is safe to refreeze or cook. The USDA freezer chart adds a few details:
- Meat, poultry, seafood, soups and casseroles: refreeze if they still have ice crystals. Throw away if they reached 40°F or above for more than 2 hours.
- Ice cream and frozen yogurt: throw away once thawed, either way.
- Hard cheese, bread, rolls, waffles, bagels, flour and nuts: you can refreeze them even after they warmed up.
- Frozen meals and pizza: refreeze only if they still have ice crystals.
What about medicine and baby formula?
- Refrigerated medicine: ready.gov advises that if the power is out for more than a day, you discard medicine that should be refrigerated, unless the label says otherwise. Call your doctor or pharmacist for a new supply, and ask them before the next outage what to do.
- Opened baby formula that warmed above 40°F for more than 2 hours goes in the trash.
- Powered medical devices: plan ahead with your medical provider for where you can go if the power stays off.
How to get your fridge ready before the next outage
The best time to save your food is before the storm. Ten minutes now can save a full fridge later.
Fridge and freezer outage checklist
Tape a copy of the keep or throw away chart above inside a kitchen cabinet. When the power comes back after dark, you will not want to look it up on a dying phone.
If the outage happens in winter, the house matters as much as the fridge: see how to stay warm without power.
Frequently asked questions
How long is food good in the fridge without power?
About 4 hours if the door stays closed. After that, perishable food that has been at 40°F or above for more than 2 hours should be thrown away.
How long does a freezer stay cold without power?
About 48 hours if it is full and 24 hours if it is half full, as long as you keep the door closed.
Can I refreeze food after a power outage?
Yes, if it still has ice crystals or is at 40°F or below. The quality may be lower, but it is safe.
Is it safe to eat food that smells fine after an outage?
Not necessarily. Smell and taste do not tell you if food is safe. Go by time and temperature, and when in doubt, throw it out.
Are eggs safe after a power outage?
Not if they sat at 40°F or above for more than 2 hours. The USDA chart says to throw away fresh eggs and egg dishes.
What foods can stay in the fridge without power?
Hard cheeses, butter, whole uncut fruit and vegetables, bread, opened fruit juice and most condiments like mustard, ketchup, jelly and pickles.
- Keep the doors closed: about 4 hours for the fridge, 48 for a full freezer.
- After 4 hours, move perishables to a cooler with ice.
- Throw away perishables at 40°F or above for more than 2 hours. Never taste to check.
- Refreeze frozen food only if it still has ice crystals.
The Blackout & Winter Kit
Heat, power, light and news for when the grid goes down: emergency sleeping bags, a pocket hand warmer, a solar power bank and a hand crank radio.
See the kitMore guides for your family
What Is a NOAA Weather Radio, and Do You Need One?
What to Keep in Your Car for Emergencies: A Printable Checklist by Season
Stuck in Your Car in Snow: How to Stay Safe and Warm Until Help Comes
We write plain-English safety guides for families, checked against the official sources listed above. Trusted by 60,000+ families.
×
×
×
×
