Food Safety During a Power Outage

Ontario was hit with a severe storm on Saturday, May 21st over the Victoria Day long weekend. It was deadly and took the lives of 10 people, and leaving much damage to communities and homes across the province. Almost 200k homes are still without power 3 days later. :(

Our family was thankfully safe, but it was definitely a LONG weekend. We lost power for 20 hrs, but our large maple tree on our front lawn was thankfully spared. Many neighbours weren’t so lucky with their mature trees.

Here are some guideline on what refrigerated food to keep and what to throw out. (adapted from USDA food safety notes). Remember to NEVER taste food to check for safety. If in doubt, throw it out!

After 4 hours without power, discard these fridge items: meat, poultry, eggs and any leftover food. Also discard dairy with the exception of hard cheeses, processed cheese, and butter/margarine.

After 8 hrs without power: discard all opened condiment bottles/jars like sauces, spreads, dressings, and jam, cut veggies and cut fruit.

Uncut fruit and veggies are safe to keep.

Freezer items: food in the freezer should be safe for up to 48 hours without power. But keep it sealed and do not open the door.

Our home lost power for 20 hours, and so we had to throw out everything with the exception of uncut fruit and veggies. Hope this helps keep your family safe and away from potential food poisoning.