Meal-PreparationAfter-Power-Failure-Infosheet_winter_FINAL - Winter Storm Meal Prep and Food Safety

Sep 27, 2026

Meal preparation guidance for winter storms addresses power failure risks when refrigeration, safe water, or heat may be unavailable. It explains how to keep foods frozen by maintaining full freezers, packing with ice, and monitoring temperatures to ensure foods remain safe at or below 41°F. It provides practical methods for cooking without power, selecting quick-cooking or shelf-stable foods, and eating packaged items directly. For unsafe water, it covers boiling, filtration, and treating with unscented bleach, plus key safety temperatures and cautions.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Keeping Frozen Foods

Cooking Without Power

Cooking Without Safe Water

No Power for Refrigeration

Cooking Food Safely

Meal Prep and Food Safety During a Winter Storm During a winter storm you may experience power failure and might not have refrigeration, water or heat for cooking. To prepare food without power or safe water, follow these guidelines. Keeping Frozen Foods Full freezers stay colder longer. Packing freezers with ice and keeping the door closed can help keep food cold. Foods are still safe to eat as long as they stay at or below 41 ° F. Foods that stayed below 41 º F can be safely refrozen. However, there maybe changes in quality. Check temperatures with a tip-sensitive thermometer. Cooking Without Power Use an outdoor grill, ﬁreplace, camp stove or charcoal burner. Choose foods that cook quickly. Avoid frozen foods because they need more heat and cook time than shelf-stable foods. Eat commercially packaged foods straight from the container. Cooking Without Safe Water Substitute canned stocks/broths or liquids from canned fruits, vegetables for water. Clear water from questionable sources should be brought toa rolling boil for 1 minute and cooled before use. Cloudy water should be ﬁltered before boiling. Water can be treated with unscented bleach. For clear water, add 1/8 teaspoon bleach per gallon. For cloudy water, add 1/4 teaspoon bleach per gallon. Allow to stand for 30 minutes before drinking or using for cooking. No Power for Refrigeration Open only enough cans or jars of food for one meal as leftover food in jars and cans cannot be saved. Prepare and eat foods in their original containers. Substitute canned and powdered milk for fresh milk. Eat cut leafy greens, tomatoes and melons within 4 hours Cooking Food Safely Never use outdoor grills or burners inside your home, even in a ﬁreplace. Fumes from grills and camping stoves can be deadly. Never use lighter ﬂuid in a ﬁreplace, as ﬂames can cause damage to the home. When cooking, heat foods to the following internal temperatures for food safety: Eggs, whole meats, ﬁsh: 145º F; Ground meats, ﬁsh: 158º F ; Whole and ground poultry: 165º F. For more information contact [ncsafeplates@ncsu.edu | Updated 8.3.21](ncsafeplates@ncsu.edu | Updated 8.3.21)

FAQs

How can frozen foods stay safe during a winter storm power outage?

Keep freezers full and cold longer by packing with ice and keeping the door closed. Foods are safe as long as they stay at or below 41°F, and items that stayed below 41°F can be refrozen if needed, though quality may change.

What are safe ways to cook when there is no power?

Use an outdoor grill, fireplace, camp stove, or charcoal burner and choose foods that cook quickly. Avoid frozen foods that require more heat and cook time than shelf-stable foods, and eat commercially packaged foods directly from the container.

How should questionable water be handled for cooking and drinking?

Clear questionable water should be brought to a rolling boil for 1 minute and cooled before use; cloudy water should be filtered before boiling. Water can also be treated with unscented bleach using the stated teaspoons-per-gallon amounts, then allowed to stand 30 minutes before drinking or cooking.

Sep 27, 2026

Uploaded by Alexandar