What’s the worst thing about a power outage?
The answer to that question depends on a variety of factors. Including where you live and what time of year it is. As well as any health conditions you might have.
Stumbling around in the dark is not fun. But there are worse problems connected to a blackout.
The loss of air conditioning during a heat wave is one. As is the loss of heat during a frigid spell. Either could be life-threatening.
And what if you’re dependent on refrigeration for your medicine? Or on an electrical device to keep your heart beating regularly? That’s pretty serious stuff.
A common goal
We all live in different areas of the country. We experience blackouts at different times of the year. And we have different health conditions.
But one thing we all have in common is this: we want to keep our food cold in refrigerators and freezers.
We worked hard to earn money to buy that food. The last thing we want is for food in a fully-stocked refrigerator and freezer to go bad because our power went out.
Spoiler Alert – The good news is you can keep your food fresh, safe, and cold, even in a blackout. More on that in a moment.
Hitting close to home
There’s a reason this subject is top of mind for me. Not all that long ago, we here at 4Patriots got a big scare.
A tornado outbreak struck downtown Nashville where we’re based. As well as at nearby Cookeville.
The tornadoes killed 25 people and injured 300. With winds reaching 175 miles per hour, the destruction was massive.
More than 70,000 people lost electrical power. The storm caused nearly $1 billion in damage. It was a full week before some folks had power restored.
Tips and tricks
As a general rule, food in a refrigerator should be good for four hours after the power goes out. In a freezer, it should stay safe for 24 to 48 hours.
But when an outage extends longer than those time periods, that spells trouble. You’re in danger of losing the food you need to feed yourself and your family.
Fortunately, there are some tips and tricks to help you keep your food safe longer.
Today I want to share some of them with you. They just might come in handy next time a power outage occurs in your neck of the woods.
Keep those doors closed
Here’s something to always remember. When the power goes out, there is a temptation to open the freezer and refrigerator periodically.
Understandably, people want to check on the status of their food. But don’t do it. Every time those doors open, warm air gets in. That shortens the life of your food.
Keep your freezer and refrigerator doors closed except for removing an item you want to cook or eat right away. Or quickly moving some items from the refrigerator to the freezer.
The magic temperature is 45 degrees Fahrenheit. If you can keep your food at that temperature or lower, it should be safe to eat. Keeping the doors closed will help.
Meat down, vegetables up
Whenever possible, keep your freezer and refrigerator full. Food will stay safe during a power outage in a full freezer longer than in a half-full freezer. Same with your refrigerator.
If your refrigerator or freezer is not full, at least group your foods together. Rather than having them spread out.
Because heat rises – even inside a refrigerator – the bottom portion of your refrigerator is colder than the top.
So, keep meat and fish in the lower levels. Fruits and vegetables can be placed on the higher shelves.
Stock up on ice
The more ice you have available, the better you can keep your food cold during a blackout.
In addition to filling your ice trays regularly, place a couple of bags of ice in your kitchen or garage freezer.
You could even freeze water in Tupperware containers. But don’t fill them, because water expands when it freezes. It might break those containers.
When a blackout extends beyond several hours, you can put ice in coolers. Then move some food from your freezer and refrigerator to those coolers.
And if it’s colder outside than inside, you might want to set those coolers outside your door.
Thermometer beats a taste test
Earlier I mentioned you don’t want your refrigerated food to get above 45 degrees. The best way to ensure that is by keeping a thermometer inside your refrigerator and freezer.
These thermometers are inexpensive. They are a big help in determining whether food has gone bad during and following an outage. Newer refrigerators have displays on the outside of the door to let you know your freezer and fridge temps.
If you don’t have a thermometer, don’t make the mistake of testing your food by tasting it. You’re better off throwing something out than getting sick from eating it.
Refrigerated perishable food will go bad after four hours. Including meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, and leftovers. When in doubt, toss it out.
Free Freedom Fridge from Frank? Yes!
So, if your power is out and you’re approaching the time when food could start to go bad, what do you do? The answer is the solar-powered and portable Freedom Fridge from 4Patriots. And for a limited time, you can get one for free. You heard me right.
With the purchase of a Patriot Power Generator 1800, you will receive a Freedom Fridge free of charge. It weighs only 17 pounds and it can either cool or heat your food – your choice.
Which means the food it contains does not have to be shelf stable. You can run this food locker for up to 30,000 hours over its lifetime. And while it’s perfect for an emergency situation, you can also take it with you for RV trips, camping, or even the grandkids’ soccer games.
If all that weren’t enough, Freedom Fridge also features a USB outlet so you can use it to power up your phone, tablet, GPS unit, flashlight, or radio.
You probably already know all about the Patriot Power Generator 1800, but just in case, here’s a quick reminder. This generator, which you can charge for free with the sun or with an electrical outlet, is fume-free and silent. So, it’s safe to use indoors.
This is an amazing deal you can’t afford not to take advantage of. And to make it even sweeter, I’ll throw in two free solar panels to charge your generator and Freedom Fridge. Plus free shipping and handling, an easy payment, and a money-back guarantee. You literally can’t lose.
