How to Keep Food Cold During a Power Outage

Most power outages last a short time. However, if the power is out for more than a day, you need to find ways of keeping the food cold.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Coolers, ice chests or heavy cardboard boxes
• Newspapers
• Bagged ice or snow

1. Avoid opening the refrigerator or freezer at all during the power outage.

2. Pack refrigerator items into the bottom of ice chests, coolers or heavy cardboard boxes. Add frozen items to the top of the coolers to help keep the food cold.

3. Purchase bagged ice if the power is out more than 48 hours. Stuff ice around all items in the coolers. Adding crushed newspapers can help insulate the coolers even more.

4. Consider yourself lucky, at least as far as keeping food cold, if the power outage happens during the cold winter months. Coolers can then be set outside to help keep the contents cold or frozen. Snow can be used instead of ice.

Tips & Warnings

• Cook any food that has thawed completely.
• If you have the equipment, thawed frozen foods can be processed by canning them, which will keep them from spoiling for six months to a year.
• If you set the coolers outside in the winter months, be sure to secure the lids with bungee cords or other type of secure closure. This will keep pets or wild animals from gaining access to the food.