Winter storm could cut power in Columbus. Here’s how long food is OK in your fridge, freezer

The National Weather Service issued a winter storm watch for most northern parts of the state, but some southern parts could see a wintry mix, too.

Currently, the forecast for Columbus includes rain and cold temperatures with lows around 25 on Sunday, but chances of ice and even snow could rise, creating power outages. So, if you recently went grocery shopping or cooked a big meal, how long will it be good in the refrigerator or freezer if the power goes out? Here’s what to know:

How long will food last in my fridge after a power outage?

Food in your refrigerator will be good for 4 hours after an outage, according to the FDA. However, this is only true if the refrigerator doors have been closed the entire 4 hours.

After 4 hours, you should discard perishable food such as meat, poultry, fish, eggs and leftovers. You should also never taste food to determine if it’s still good. When in doubt, throw it out, according to foodsafety.gov.

For a full downloadable refrigerated food safety chart, go to foodsafety.gov.

Tip: If you know the power might be out for a long time, the FDA recommends buying a dry or block ice to keep the refrigerator as cold as possible. Fifty pounds of dry ice should keep an 18 cubic foot, fully stocked freezer cold for two days.

How long will food last in my freezer after a power outage?

A full freezer will keep foods at a safe temperature for 48 hours (24 for half full). Again, keep the doors to the freezer closed at all times.

Food may be safely refrozen if it still contains ice crystals or is at 40°F (4°C) or below, but the quality of the meat might suffer.

For a full downloadable frozen food safety chart, go to foodsafety.gov.

Here’s what to do once your power has been restored

Once your power comes back on, here’s what to do:

• If an appliance thermometer was kept in the freezer, check the temperature when the power comes back on. If the freezer thermometer reads 40° F or below, the food is safe and may be refrozen.
• If a thermometer has not been kept in the freezer, check each package of food to determine its safety. You can’t rely on appearance or odor. If the food still contains ice crystals or is 40° F or below, it is safe to refreeze or cook.
• If the power was out for no more than 4 hours, refrigerated food should be safe as long as the doors were kept closed. When the power comes back on, check the temperature in the refrigerator or of the food. Discard any refrigerated perishable food (such as meat, poultry, seafood, milk, eggs or leftovers) that has been at refrigerator temperatures above 40°F for 4 hours or more. Perishable foods with temperatures that are 45°F or below (measured with a food thermometer) should be safe, but should be cooked and consumed as soon as possible.

Have more questions? Let me know in the comments or email me at cmadden@mcclatchy.com.

Chelsea Madden

The Telegraph

Chelsea is a service journalism reporter who began working for McClatchy in 2022. She was born and raised in Middle Georgia and lives in Forsyth. She attended Wesleyan College for undergrad and a few years after that, went to SCAD for an MFA in writing. Outside of work, Chelsea likes to watch Netflix, read books in the thriller genre and chase her toddler around.