Inevitably, power outages happen from time to time, and if you have a freezer full of food, this can have severe consequences for your food in the short term. How long must it be out for things to actually thaw? There are a few factors that are involved in determining this time. The size of the freezer, the temperature it’s at, and how full the freezer is. Let’s take a closer look at how long a freezer can stay frozen without power.
How Long Is Food Safe In An Unpowered Freezer?
If your food is in a small fridge freezer, you can expect it to be safe for between 4-6 hours, usually. In a full-size freezer that is filled to the top, you can get 48 hours, but only 24 hours if the freezer is just half full. The more empty space there is in the freezer, the faster things will thaw.
Improving Freezer Durability
Once the power is out, the countdown begins. You will need to keep everything shut for as long as possible once the power goes out. This will prevent cold air from escaping, which shortens the amount of time that the food will stay frozen.
To keep things frozen as long as possible, get in the habit of keeping containers of water in the empty spaces within the freezer. This will give you more time once the power goes out. As you get more food, you can take out the water and replace it with edible items.
If the power is out for longer than anticipated, try adding blocks of ice to the top of the freezer and shutting it again. The cold will drift down to keep everything fresh.
You can also place a container of water in the freezer. Once it is frozen, add a coin on top. This can be checked if you find out the freezer was unplugged or the power was out for an undetermined amount of time. If the coin is still atop the ice, you know nothing thawed. However, if the coin is under a layer of water or ice (indicating it thawed and froze again), you know that the items in the freezer have also thawed.
When Should I Throw Out Food?
You should get rid of any type of meat, seafood, milk, or chicken if it has been at 4° C or higher for over two hours. This is a temperature that allows bacteria to grow and the food may be dangerous to eat. This also goes for soft and shredded cheese.
The best way to ensure you don’t lose your food is to invest in a backup generator. This will automatically come on and keep your freezer cold if needed.
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