Power Outage Food Safety Center

Power's out. Keep or toss — food by food.

Select what's in your fridge and how long the power's been out — get USDA/FSIS verdicts for every item, plus a printable checklist to stick on the door before the next storm.

⏱ ~60 sec•USDA FSIS + FoodSafety.gov charts•Storm center

The FSIS rules

Doors closed: fridge 4 hours, full freezer 48, half-full 24.

Fridge

4 hrs

Full freezer

48 hrs

Half-full

24 hrs

The three rules (USDA FSIS)

01
Keep doors closed
A closed refrigerator stays safe ≈4 hours. A full freezer ≈48 hours; half-full ≈24.
02
40°F is the line
Perishables held above 40°F too long get discarded — meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy, leftovers, cut produce.
03
Verify, don't taste
Pathogens don't change taste or smell. Use an appliance thermometer; when in doubt, throw it out.

Sources: USDA FSIS, Keep Your Food Safe During Emergencies · FoodSafety.gov power-outage charts .

What to toss — triage your fridge

1 · How long has the power been out?

2 · What's inside? (select all that apply)

3 · Verdicts

Toss
Raw chicken
Raw poultry: discard after 4+ hours without power (above 40°F).
Refreeze only if it still contains ice crystals or is at or below 40°F; discard otherwise.
Toss
Milk
Milk, cream, sour cream, yogurt: discard after 4+ hours without power.
Refreeze with ice crystals still present (some loss of texture); discard if held above 40°F.
Keep
Butter
Butter and margarine: safe to keep.
Butter and margarine can be refrozen.

Verdicts follow the FSIS 4-hour rule and the FoodSafety.gov per-food charts — never taste to check.

Browse all food and duration results

Each column uses the same duration setting and food rules as the interactive tool. Read the food-specific details and refreezing guidance alongside each verdict.

All configured outage triage results
Food	Under 4 hours	4–6 hours	6–24 hours	Over 24 hours	Details	Refreezing guidance
Raw chicken	Keep	Toss	Toss	Toss	Raw poultry: discard after 4+ hours without power (above 40°F).	Refreeze only if it still contains ice crystals or is at or below 40°F; discard otherwise.
Cooked chicken	Keep	Toss	Toss	Toss	Cooked or leftover meat and poultry: discard after 4+ hours without power.	Refreeze only if it still contains ice crystals or is at or below 40°F; discard otherwise.
Ground beef (raw)	Keep	Toss	Toss	Toss	Raw meat: discard after 4+ hours without power (above 40°F).	Refreeze only if it still contains ice crystals or is at or below 40°F; discard otherwise.
Steak (raw)	Keep	Toss	Toss	Toss	Raw meat: discard after 4+ hours without power (above 40°F).	Refreeze only if it still contains ice crystals or is at or below 40°F; discard otherwise.
Cooked rice	Keep	Toss	Toss	Toss	Cooked pasta, rice, and potatoes: discard after 4+ hours above 40°F.	Rice-based casseroles: refreeze only with ice crystals still present; discard if held above 40°F.
Eggs (in shell)	Keep	Toss	Toss	Toss	Fresh shell eggs and egg dishes: discard after 4+ hours without power.	Freezing eggs in the shell is not recommended; out-of-shell egg products refreeze only with ice crystals.
Milk	Keep	Toss	Toss	Toss	Milk, cream, sour cream, yogurt: discard after 4+ hours without power.	Refreeze with ice crystals still present (some loss of texture); discard if held above 40°F.
Hard cheese	Keep	Keep	Keep	Keep	Hard cheeses (Cheddar, Colby, Swiss, Parmesan, provolone, Romano): safe to keep.	Hard cheeses can be refrozen even after thawing above 40°F.
Cooked leftovers	Keep	Toss	Toss	Toss	Casseroles, soups, stews, and leftovers: discard after 4+ hours without power.	Refreeze only if ice crystals remain or the food is at or below 40°F; discard otherwise.
Pizza (leftover)	Keep	Toss	Toss	Toss	Pizza with any topping: discard after 4+ hours without power.	Frozen pizza: refreeze only with ice crystals still present; discard if held above 40°F.
Bread	Keep	Keep	Keep	Keep	Bread, rolls, cakes, muffins, tortillas: safe to keep (unless contaminated by raw-meat juices).	Breads and rolls can be refrozen even after thawing.
Fresh berries	Keep	Keep	Keep	Keep	Uncut fresh fruit: safe to keep. (Cut fruit: discard after 4+ hours.)	Frozen fruit: refreeze; discard if mold, a yeasty smell, or sliminess develops.
Deli meat	Keep	Toss	Toss	Toss	Lunchmeats, hot dogs, bacon, sausage: discard after 4+ hours without power.	Refreeze only if ice crystals remain or the food is at or below 40°F; discard otherwise.
Raw fish	Keep	Toss	Toss	Toss	Raw fish and seafood: discard after 4+ hours without power (above 40°F).	Refreeze only if it still contains ice crystals or is at or below 40°F; discard otherwise.
Soup / stew	Keep	Toss	Toss	Toss	Soups and stews: discard after 4+ hours without power.	Refreeze only if ice crystals remain; discard if held above 40°F.
Butter	Keep	Keep	Keep	Keep	Butter and margarine: safe to keep.	Butter and margarine can be refrozen.
Soft cheese	Keep	Toss	Toss	Toss	Soft cheeses (Brie, cottage, cream, mozzarella, ricotta…): discard after 4+ hours without power.	Refreeze with ice crystals still present (some loss of texture); discard if held above 40°F.
Yogurt	Keep	Toss	Toss	Toss	Yogurt: discard after 4+ hours without power.	Refreeze only if ice crystals remain; discard otherwise.
Mayonnaise (opened)	Keep	Check	Toss	Toss	Opened mayonnaise, tartar sauce, horseradish: discard only if held above 50°F for more than 8 hours.	Not a freezer item.
Condiments (ketchup, mustard, pickles)	Keep	Keep	Keep	Keep	High-acid condiments — mustard, ketchup, relish, pickles, jams: safe to keep (may spoil sooner).	Not a freezer item.
Whole fruits & vegetables	Keep	Keep	Keep	Keep	Uncut fresh fruits and vegetables: safe to keep unless moldy or off-smelling.	Frozen vegetables: refreeze with ice crystals; discard after 6+ hours above 40°F.
Cut fruits & vegetables	Keep	Toss	Toss	Toss	Cut fresh fruits and vegetables (and packaged pre-washed greens): discard after 4+ hours without power.	Refreeze only with ice crystals still present.
Juice (opened)	Keep	Toss	Toss	Toss	Opened vegetable juice: discard after 4+ hours. Opened fruit juice keeps per the chart — when in doubt, throw it out.	Frozen fruit juices: refreeze; discard if mold, a yeasty smell, or sliminess develops.
Ice cream / frozen yogurt	Keep	Toss	Toss	Toss	Ice cream and frozen yogurt: discard once thawed — even if ice crystals remain.	Never refreeze thawed ice cream or frozen yogurt.

The fridge-door checklist

01Keep fridge and freezer doors closed — every opening costs ≈30 minutes of safe time
02Fridge is safe up to 4 hours without power (door closed)
03Full freezer: safe ≈48 hours · half-full: ≈24 hours
04After 4+ hours: toss meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, soft cheese, leftovers, cut produce
05Keep: butter, hard cheese, whole produce, bread, and high-acid condiments (ketchup, mustard, pickles)
06Refreeze only food that still has ice crystals or reads 40°F or below
07Never taste food to check it — pathogens don't change taste or smell
08Use an appliance thermometer to verify: fridge ≤40°F, freezer ≤0°F
09Photograph discarded food for insurance claims before you toss it
10When in doubt, throw it out

USDA FSIS + FoodSafety.gov guidance · Fridge.com/tools/power-outage-center

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Questions

Frequently asked

Per USDA FSIS, a closed refrigerator keeps food at a safe temperature for up to 4 hours. After 4 hours without power, discard perishables — meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, soft cheeses, leftovers, and cut produce.