Do you know what to do with food in your freezer when you have a power outage? There are a few things that you can do:
- Plan ahead for extra cooling power. Turn your freezer to the coldest setting if you anticipate a major storm.
- Develop a plan with friends or relatives living outside the affected area to share freezer space.
- Keep the doors closed. A full freezer will hold food for about 48 hours. A half-full freezer will hold food for about 24 hours.
- Know where to purchase block or dry ice. Fifty pounds of dry ice will protect food in an 18-cubic foot freezer for about two days.
- After power is restored, carefully check the food in your freezer. Perishable food that doesn’t contain ice crystals or food that has a temperature above 40 degrees Fahrenheit should be discarded.