Meat, poultry, fish and eggs should be refrigerated at or below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, and frozen food should be kept at or below zero degrees.
When the power goes out, the refrigerator will keep food safely cold for about four hours if unopened, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Services. A full freezer will maintain the temperature for about 48 hours and about 24 hours if half full --- if the door is not opened.
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If you think power will be out for an extended period of time, buy dry or block ice to keep the fridge or freezer cold. Freeze containers of water and gel packs to help keep food cold if the power goes out. Freeze items you don't need immediately.
USDA experts advise that as soon as the power returns residents need to check the temperature inside of the refrigerator and freezer. Put thermometers in your refrigerator and freezer. If they are still at safe temperatures, your food should be fine. Never taste food to determine its safety.
Store nonperishable foods on higher shelves to avoid flood water. Do not eat any food that may have touched flood water and sanitize pots and pans, dishes and utensils with 1 table spoon of bleach for every gallon of water. Discard food that is not in waterproof containers or in damaged cans.
The FoodKeeper app has storage times listed, it is free and it's available for Android and Apple devices.
You will have to evaluate each item separately. Use this chart as a guide:
| Food Categories | Specific Foods | Still contains ice crystals and feels as cold as if refrigerated | Thawed and held above 40 °F for over 2 hours |
| MEAT, POULTRY, SEAFOOD | Beef, veal, lamb, pork, and ground meats | Refreeze | Discard |
| Poultry and ground poultry | Refreeze | Discard | |
| Variety meats (liver, kidney, heart, chitterlings) | Refreeze | Discard | |
| Casseroles, stews, soups | Refreeze | Discard | |
| Fish, shellfish, breaded seafood products | Refreeze. However, there will be some texture and flavor loss. | Discard | |
| DAIRY | Milk | Refreeze. May lose some texture. | Discard |
| Eggs (out of shell) and egg products | Refreeze | Discard | |
| Ice cream, frozen yogurt | Discard | Discard | |
| Cheese (soft and semi-soft) | Refreeze. May lose some texture. | Discard | |
| Hard cheeses | Refreeze | Refreeze | |
| Shredded cheeses | Refreeze | Discard | |
| Casseroles containing milk, cream, eggs, soft cheeses | Refreeze | Discard | |
| Cheesecake | Refreeze | Discard | |
| FRUITS | Juices | Refreeze | Refreeze. Discard if mold, yeasty smell, or sliminess develops. |
| Home or commercially packaged | Refreeze. Will change texture and flavor. | Refreeze. Discard if mold, yeasty smell, or sliminess develops. | |
| VEGETABLES | Juices | Refreeze | Discard after held above 40 °F for 6 hours. |
| Home or commercially packaged or blanched | Refreeze. May suffer texture and flavor loss. | Discard after held above 40 °F for 6 hours. | |
| BREADS, PASTRIES | Breads, rolls, muffins, cakes (without custard fillings) | Refreeze | Refreeze |
| Cakes, pies, pastries with custard or cheese filling | Refreeze | Discard | |
| Pie crusts, commercial and homemade bread dough | Refreeze. Some quality loss may occur. | Refreeze. Quality loss is considerable. | |
| OTHER | Casseroles – pasta, rice based | Refreeze | Discard |
| Flour, cornmeal, nuts | Refreeze | Refreeze | |
| Breakfast items –waffles, pancakes, bagels | Refreeze | Refreeze | |
| Frozen meal, entree, specialty items (pizza, sausage and biscuit, meat pie, convenience foods) | Refreeze | Discard
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