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Power outage food safety calculator
Power out and not sure what's still safe to eat? Enter how long the power has been off and what you know about your fridge and freezer. The calculator tells you what to keep, what you can refreeze and what to throw out, using the official U.S. food safety charts. Free, no sign-up, and it works on your phone.
Your result
Enter how many hours the power has been out (or tap a quick pick) to see your result.
How the calculator decides
- Refrigerator: 4 hours. A fridge keeps food safe for up to 4 hours if the door stays closed. After that, the USDA says to discard refrigerated perishable food (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy and leftovers) unless you know it stayed at 40°F or below.
- Freezer: 48 or 24 hours. A full freezer holds a safe temperature for about 48 hours, a half-full one for about 24 hours, with the door closed. There is no official figure for a nearly empty freezer, so the calculator tells you to check right away.
- A thermometer beats the clock. If you enter a reading, it overrides the time estimate: 40°F or below is safe; above 40°F for more than 2 hours is not.
- Ice crystals mean you can refreeze. Frozen food that still has ice crystals or feels as cold as if refrigerated can be refrozen or cooked. Ice cream and frozen yogurt are the exception.
- Item by item. Not everything has to go. Hard cheeses, butter, uncut fruits and vegetables, most condiments and bread are fine. The calculator lists them from the charts below.
Refrigerated food after a power outage: keep or throw out
This is the full FoodSafety.gov chart for food held above 40°F for more than 2 hours. If your fridge stayed at 40°F or below, everything in it is safe. Search for a specific food:
No match. If a food isn't listed, follow the rule: when in doubt, throw it out.
| Refrigerated food | Above 40°F for over 2 hours |
|---|---|
| Meat, poultry & seafood | |
| Raw or leftover cooked meat, poultry, fish or seafood; soy meat substitutes | Throw out |
| Thawing meat or poultry | Throw out |
| Salads: meat, tuna, shrimp, chicken or egg salad | Throw out |
| Gravy, stuffing, broth | Throw out |
| Lunch meats, hot dogs, bacon, sausage, dried beef | Throw out |
| Pizza with any topping | Throw out |
| Canned hams labeled "Keep Refrigerated" | Throw out |
| Canned meats and fish, opened | Throw out |
| Casseroles, soups, stews | Throw out |
| Cheese | |
| Soft cheeses: blue, Roquefort, Brie, Camembert, cottage, cream cheese, Edam, Monterey Jack, ricotta, mozzarella, Muenster, Neufchâtel, queso blanco, queso fresco | 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, Romano or a mix (in a can or jar) | Keep |
| Dairy & eggs | |
| Milk, cream, sour cream, buttermilk, evaporated milk, yogurt, eggnog, soy milk | Throw out |
| Butter, margarine | Keep |
| Baby formula, opened | Throw out |
| Fresh shell eggs, hard-cooked eggs, egg dishes, egg products | Throw out |
| Custards, puddings, quiche | Throw out |
| Fruits | |
| Fresh fruits, cut | Throw out |
| Fresh fruits, uncut | Keep |
| Fruit juices, opened | Keep |
| Canned fruits, opened | Keep |
| Dried fruits, raisins, candied fruits, dates | Keep |
| Sliced or shredded coconut | Throw out |
| Sauces, spreads & condiments | |
| Opened mayonnaise, tartar sauce, horseradish | Throw out if above 50°F for more than 8 hours |
| Peanut butter | Keep |
| Jelly, relish, taco sauce, mustard, ketchup, olives, pickles | Keep |
| Worcestershire, soy, barbecue and hoisin sauces | Keep |
| Fish sauces, oyster sauce | Throw out |
| Opened vinegar-based dressings | Keep |
| Opened creamy dressings | Throw out |
| Spaghetti sauce, opened | Throw out |
| Bread, pasta, grains & baked goods | |
| Bread, rolls, cakes, muffins, quick breads, tortillas | Keep |
| Refrigerator biscuits, rolls, cookie dough | Throw out |
| Cooked pasta, rice, potatoes | Throw out |
| Pasta salads with mayonnaise or vinaigrette | Throw out |
| Fresh pasta | Throw out |
| Cheesecake | Throw out |
| Breakfast foods: waffles, pancakes, bagels | Keep |
| Cream-filled pastries | Throw out |
| Pies with egg or milk fillings (custard, cheese-filled, chiffon) | Throw out |
| Fruit pies | Keep |
| Vegetables | |
| Fresh vegetables, cut | Throw out |
| Fresh vegetables, uncut | Keep |
| Fresh mushrooms, herbs, spices | Keep |
| Greens, pre-cut, pre-washed, packaged | Throw out |
| Cooked vegetables; cooked tofu | Throw out |
| Vegetable juice, opened | Throw out |
| Baked potatoes; potato salad | Throw out |
| Commercial garlic in oil | Throw out |
Frozen food after a power outage: refreeze or throw out
A full freezer holds about 48 hours and a half-full one about 24 hours. After that, check each package. Food that still has ice crystals or is at 40°F or below can be refrozen (quality may suffer). Here is what to do with food that has fully thawed:
| Frozen food | Still has ice crystals | Thawed, above 40°F for over 2 hours |
|---|---|---|
| Meat, poultry & seafood | ||
| Meat, poultry, seafood — all cuts | Refreeze | Throw out |
| Stews, soups | Refreeze | Throw out |
| Dairy & eggs | ||
| Milk | Refreeze (some texture loss) | Throw out |
| Eggs (out of shell), egg products | Refreeze | Throw out |
| Ice cream, frozen yogurt | Throw out | Throw out |
| Cheese, soft and semi-soft | Refreeze (some texture loss) | Throw out |
| Hard cheeses | Refreeze | Refreeze |
| Shredded cheeses | Refreeze | Throw out |
| Cheesecake | Refreeze | Throw out |
| Fruits & vegetables | ||
| Fruit juices | Refreeze | Refreeze (throw out if moldy, yeasty-smelling or slimy) |
| Fruit, home or commercially packaged | Refreeze (texture and flavor change) | Refreeze (throw out if moldy, yeasty-smelling or slimy) |
| Vegetable juices | Refreeze | Throw out if above 40°F for 6 hours |
| Vegetables, home or commercially packaged or blanched | Refreeze (some texture and flavor loss) | Throw out if above 40°F for 6 hours |
| Breads, pastries & other foods | ||
| Breads, rolls, muffins, cakes (no custard filling) | Refreeze | Refreeze |
| Cakes, pies, pastries with custard or cheese filling | Refreeze | Throw out |
| Pie crusts, commercial and homemade bread dough | Refreeze (some quality loss) | Refreeze (considerable quality loss) |
| Casseroles: pasta or rice based | Refreeze | Throw out |
| Flour, cornmeal, nuts | Refreeze | Refreeze |
| Breakfast items: waffles, pancakes, bagels | Refreeze | Refreeze |
| Frozen meals, entrées and specialty items (pizza, sausage and biscuit, meat pie, convenience foods) | Refreeze | Throw out |
How to make your fridge and freezer last longer
- Keep both doors closed. Decide what you need before you open them.
- If the outage will last more than 4 hours, move milk, meat, eggs and leftovers into a cooler with ice or frozen gel packs, and keep adding ice so the cooler stays at 40°F or below.
- Get dry ice or block ice early. The USDA says 50 pounds of dry ice should hold an 18-cubic-foot freezer for about 2 days. Don't touch dry ice with bare hands or put it directly on food.
- Don't store food outside in the snow. Fill buckets or empty jugs with water, let them freeze outside, and use that ice instead.
- Keep an appliance thermometer in both the fridge (40°F or below) and the freezer (0°F or below). It's the only way to know for sure.
For the full background, read how long food lasts in the fridge without power, and keep a 2-week supply of food that needs no refrigeration so the fridge matters less next time.
Power outage food safety FAQ
How long is food safe in the fridge during a power outage?
Up to 4 hours if you keep the door closed. After 4 hours without power, throw out refrigerated perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy and leftovers, unless an appliance thermometer shows the fridge stayed at 40°F or below.
How long will a freezer keep food frozen without power?
About 48 hours if it's full and about 24 hours if it's half full, as long as the door stays closed. A nearly empty freezer warms much faster. Filling empty space with frozen water jugs helps.
Can you refreeze food that thawed during a power outage?
Yes, if it still contains ice crystals or is at 40°F or below. The quality may suffer, but it's safe. Throw out ice cream and frozen yogurt. Food that thawed and stayed above 40°F for more than 2 hours should be thrown out, except breads, hard cheeses, fruit, fruit juices, flour, nuts, waffles and similar items (see the freezer chart).
Is cheese safe after a power outage?
Hard cheeses (cheddar, Colby, Swiss, Parmesan, provolone, Romano), processed cheese and grated Parmesan or Romano in a can or jar can be kept. Soft, shredded and low-fat cheeses should be thrown out if they were above 40°F for more than 2 hours.
Are milk and eggs safe after a power outage?
Not if they were above 40°F for more than 2 hours. Milk, cream, yogurt, eggs and egg dishes are on the "throw out" list. Butter and margarine can be kept.
Can I keep food outside in the snow?
The USDA advises against it. Outdoor temperatures change, the sun can warm food even on a cold day, and animals can get to it. Make ice outside instead and use it in your fridge, freezer or cooler.
What if I don't know how long the fridge was above 40°F?
Then assume the worst for perishable foods: when in doubt, throw it out. Never taste food to decide. Bacteria that cause food poisoning don't always change the look, smell or taste. For questions about a specific product, call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854.
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See what's insideRelated guides
- How long does food last in the fridge without power?
- Power outage checklist: before, during and after
- Emergency food storage: a 2-week shopping list
- How to stay warm without power