When the Power Goes Out: What To Do With Your Food in the Fridge & Freezer

What to do with your food in the fridge & freezer (without guessing)

A straight-talking survival guide from Chef Ian — written after we lost power for 3 days ourselves. Food safety doesn’t negotiate… and neither should you.

A quick word from Chef Ian

A couple of weeks ago, we lived it. Three full days with no power — no fridge, no freezer, no internet, no communication. And even with 48 years in kitchens, it still hurt (financially and emotionally).

But it also reminded me of the rule I’ve drilled into young chefs for decades:

Hope is not a food safety strategy.

This guide is the practical checklist I wish everyone had ready the moment the lights go out.

What to do immediately

Keep the doors shut (seriously)

Every time you open the fridge or freezer, you let out precious cold air.

• Fridge: stays safely cold (below 5°C) for about 4 hours
• Full freezer: can hold temp for up to 48 hours
• Half-full freezer: around 24 hours

If you need to, tape a note to the door:
“POWER OUT — DO NOT OPEN.”
It feels dramatic… and it works.

The fastest safety check (my rule of thumb)

If frozen food gives to finger pressure, it’s gone

Press firmly with your finger.

If it bends, squishes, or yields — it has thawed too far.
This applies especially to:

• mince
• chicken
• seafood
• sausages
• ham
• frozen soups/stocks
• pre-cooked frozen meals

If it’s soft → treat it as unsafe.

Golden rules (don’t negotiate these)

1) If in doubt, chuck it out

It doesn’t matter how good it smells, looks, or feels.

If it’s been above 5°C for more than a couple of hours, it’s not safe.
And no — cooking it doesn’t always “fix” it.

Heat can kill bacteria… but it doesn’t destroy toxins that can form while food sits in the danger zone.

2) Never refreeze thawed food

Ever.

You can cook it and eat it immediately if it’s still cold…
but don’t thaw and re-freeze, and don’t thaw and “save it for later”.

Eskies help — if you pack them right

What to save first (chef priority order)

1. Expensive proteins: seafood, chicken, roasts, mince, sausages, frozen meals
2. Dairy: milk, yoghurt, cream, soft cheeses
3. Leftovers & pre-cooked meals
4. Fruit/veg & condiments (lowest risk)

Where the ice goes (most people get this wrong)

Ice goes ON TOP of the food.

Why? Cold air sinks. Warm air rises.

Correct packing:

• food packed tight (less air = more cold)
• a few bricks around sides if you’ve got plenty
• most of the ice on top
• lid sealed tight

If you only have a few ice bricks → all of them on top.

Prep trick that saves food (and costs almost nothing)

Make big ice bricks before storm season

This buys you hours — sometimes days — of extra cold.

Option 1: Freeze 2L bottles
Fill clean bottles with water and freeze solid.
They melt slowly and double as emergency drinking water.

Option 2: Freeze flat water sheets
Use heat-sealed bags (or sturdy freezer bags) with water laid flat.
They freeze into slim “cold sheets” that:

• line eskies beautifully
• sit perfectly across the top
• take up minimal space
• melt slower than cubes

Big, dense ice blocks last significantly longer than cubes or party ice.

No eskies? You can still buy time

If you get caught unprepared:

• cluster everything in the freezer (mass = cold = time)
• wrap the freezer in blankets (leave vents clear)
• move high-risk foods to the bottom back corner
• stop opening the fridge “to check” — you lose cold every time

What’s usually safe even if it warms up

These generally carry minimal risk:

• whole fruit and vegetables
• butter
• hard cheeses
• jams & relishes
• pickles
• bread
• soy/fish/Worcestershire sauces
• garlic, onions, potatoes

This list buys you breathing room while you protect the high-risk stuff.

When power returns

Bin it immediately if:

• it thawed or softened
• it sat above 5°C for over 2 hours
• it smells even slightly off
• it contains seafood, dairy, eggs or mayo and you’re unsure

Don’t taste-test. Don’t “see how it goes.”
Just chuck it.

If it’s still cold — cook it now

If food is still properly cold, cook it immediately.
Turn it into:

• curry
• soup
• casserole
• mince sauce

Cooking buys you a couple of extra days in the fridge only if the food never warmed up into the danger zone.

Skill focus / techniques

• Temperature reality: food safety is about time + temperature, not smell
• Cold retention: mass and sealed doors keep food safe longer
• Esky packing: ice on top is the difference-maker
• Risk ranking: protect proteins/dairy first, worry about condiments later

Make-ahead hack

Freeze a “blackout kit” now, while everything is normal:

• 6–8 frozen water bottles
• a stack of frozen flat water sheets
• ice bricks
• a fridge/freezer thermometer
• a printed checklist taped inside the pantry door

Future you will be very grateful.

Final thought from Chef Ian

“I’ve run plenty of kitchens, and I’ve seen what food poisoning can do — at home and in business. When the power goes out, you only have two tools: preparation and good decisions. Be calm. Keep the doors shut. And if you’re unsure… don’t risk it.”

Chef Ian