How long does food last in a power cut?

Last checked 28 October 2026. Based on Food Standards Agency and Food Standards Scotland advice.

Keep the doors shut

Every time you open the fridge or freezer, cold air escapes. Keep both closed as much as you can. These times are estimates and vary by model, so treat them as a guide, not a guarantee.

If you have space in the freezer, filling gaps with bottles of water helps it stay cold for longer. Grouping frozen food together does the same.

What to eat first

1. Food from the fridge: leftovers, anything with a use-by date, and anything labelled "keep refrigerated".
2. Frozen food that has defrosted and does not need cooking.
3. Food that goes off quickly at room temperature, such as bread, fresh fruit and vegetables.
4. Tins, jars and dried food last.

When to throw food out

Fridges normally run at 5°C or below. If the power is back within 4 hours, chilled food should be fine. If the fridge has reached 8°C or above and the power has been off for more than 4 hours, throw out chilled food such as leftovers and anything with a use-by date. If in doubt, throw it out.

Take extra care if anyone at home is pregnant, very young, older, or has a health condition: do not eat chilled ready-to-eat food or leftovers after 4 hours without power, and make sure hot food is steaming hot all the way through.

In cold weather (below 8°C) you can keep food outside in a clean, sealed container, out of the sun and away from animals.

Can I refreeze food that has thawed?

If raw meat has defrosted, cook it thoroughly and you can then freeze it again. Only reheat food once. Use defrosted food within 24 hours. If you are unsure how warm food has got, do not refreeze it.

Baby formula

Powdered formula is not sterile and needs freshly boiled water. If you cannot boil water, ready-to-feed formula is the safest choice. Keep a few cartons in the cupboard for this reason. Never refreeze breast milk that has thawed.

Be ready before it happens

Keep enough food you can eat cold for at least 3 days, the amount the UK government asks every home to have.