How Long Will Meat Last in the Freezer Without Power?

These food safety tips will come in handy during the next electrical outage.

Marcus Reeves is an experienced writer, publisher, and fact-checker. He began his writing career reporting for The Source magazine. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, Playboy, The Washington Post, and Rolling Stone, among other publications. His book Somebody Scream: Rap Music's Rise to Prominence in the Aftershock of Black Power was nominated for a Zora Neale Hurston Award. He is an adjunct instructor at New York University, where he teaches writing and communications. Marcus received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

One of the biggest concerns during a power outage is how the food, beverages, and other perishables in your refrigerator and freezer will fare—especially when electricity is knocked out for more than a few hours. Questions like "How long will meat last in the freezer without power?" are common when outages occur, but many people don't think about these concerns until a blackout has struck. Knowing how long meat and other frozen and refrigerated foods will remain safe saves you time, money, and potential health hazards, and the answer depends on a few factors, including what the product is and how long your power has been off. Read on to learn what you can do before, during, and after a power outage to ensure your food is safe.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), your freezer should be set to a temperature of 0°F or below. As far as how long meat will last in the freezer without power, the official recommendation from FoodSafety.gov is to toss items if their temperature is higher than 40°F for more than 2 hours. This applies to meat, poultry, seafood, milk, ice cream, some cheeses, and frozen meals. Items that retain ice crystals or a 40°F or below temperature are safe to refreeze.

For a detailed list of what to do with specific fridge and freezer foods, head to the FoodSafety.gov website.

The CDC recommends keeping your fridge at 40°F or below. According to FoodSafety.gov, meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, soft and shredded cheeses, and milk should all be tossed if their temperature reaches 40°F or above for over 2 hours. Similarly, open creamy dressings, biscuits, cookie dough, cooked pasta, potatoes, and rice must also be thrown away at this temperature and time limit. Fresh-cut fruit and vegetables, as well as cooked vegetables, should go in the garbage too.

The CDC strongly advises against taste-testing anything to see if it's still good, even if it smells and looks normal. "When in doubt, throw it out" is your guiding principle, according to the organization.

Now that you have the answer to "How long will meat last in the freezer without power?", you may be wondering what steps you should take when your electricity goes out. When it comes to your perishable foods, you should leave them be—at least for a bit.

The CDC notes you should keep the doors to your fridge and freezer closed during a power outage. If you do, everything will be fine for up to 4 hours in a refrigerator, 48 hours in a full freezer, or 24 hours in a half-full freezer. If the outage lasts longer than 4 hours, move your food to a cooler with ice packs to try to keep the temperature at 40°F or below.

There are several preventive measures to take before a potential emergency, such as a natural disaster, makes its way toward your region and wipes out your food supply. Preparing in advance will help you weather the power outage and limit losses caused by the occurrence.

Condiments containing acids (ketchup, mustard, soy sauce, barbeque sauce, steak sauce, hot sauce, Worcestershire, chutney, and vinegar-based dressings) should be okay. Jellies, jams, and syrups are also safe to keep because sugar acts as a preservative. You'll want to toss any opened mayonnaise, tarter sauce, creamy dressings, fish sauce, oyster sauce, and spaghetti sauce.

When temperatures dip, it is tempting to use outdoor spaces as an extension of the refrigerator or freezer. Still, the USDA recommends against it as temperatures fluctuate throughout the day and cause food to spoil. You also risk exposing your food to unsanitary conditions and the attention of curious, hungry animals.

Many power companies will reimburse you for spoiled food if the power outage is their fault. Contact your local power company to find out their policy and how to make a claim. Some homeowner's insurance policies will also cover food loss, so check with your insurance company to see what your plan will reimburse you for and under what conditions you're eligible for a reimbursement.

"Keep Food Safe After a Disaster or Emergency." U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Refrigerated Food and Power Outages: When to Save It and When to Throw It Out." FoodSafety.gov.

"Keep Your Food Safe During Emergencies: Power Outages, Floods & Fires." Food Safety and Inspection Service U.S. Department of Agriculture.