How to Keep Perishable Food Safe

September is National Emergency Preparedness Month. Throughout the month, I am going to post a series of articles about saving money while preparing for emergencies.

What happens if your power goes out and there's no electricity going to your refrigerator? Do you know how to check if the food is still safe? Here are a few basic rules of thumb for keeping your perishable food safe during a power outage.

1. Make sure you keep the doors closed. The refrigerator and freezer are designed to insulate and keep the food cold using minimum energy. When you open the door, you'll allow the cold air to escape.

2. If you know a storm is coming, fill containers with water and fill in as many empty spots of your freezer. A packed freezer is more energy efficient and the ice will keep the food cold longer, just like a cooler.

3. Check the temperature when the power returns. If the fridge stayed under 40 degrees you're alright but after two hours above 40 degrees, you'll want to throw the food out.

Last year, Giant Food Stores came out with a great PDF for keeping or trashing perishable food safety. It lists common foods with how long they stay safe in different temperatures.