Snow Storm Food Safety Tips

Posted in Food Safety,Our Blog on February 2, 2026

Snow and ice has crippled so many communities lately. Where I reside in Virginia we are currently iced in and on day number 8. Thankfully no power outages, but we were more than prepared in case and know many people who have been without power for 6+ days. Today we look at some snow storm food safety tips so that we can all be prepared for when Old Man Winter strikes again.

USDA Snow Storm Food Safety Tips

Winter storms often cause power outages that can compromise stored food. USDA recommends the following steps to keep food safe:

• A refrigerator will keep food below 40°F for up to 4 hours during an outage. A full freezer stays cold about 48 hours (24 hours if half full). Keep doors closed as much as possible.
• Do not place perishable food out in the snow. Outside temperatures can vary and food can be exposed to unsanitary conditions and animals.
• Freeze containers of water ahead of the storm or make ice in containers left outside to freeze; place them around food to help maintain cold temperatures.
• Freeze refrigerated items you may not need immediately—such as leftovers, milk, and fresh meat or poultry—to extend their safe storage time.
• Consider purchasing 50 pounds of dry or block ice if a long outage is expected; this can keep an 18-cubic-foot freezer cold for two days.
• Group foods together in the freezer to help them stay cold longer.
• Keep several days’ worth of ready-to-eat foods that do not require cooking or cooling.

When the Electricity Returns

Once electric power returns, it’s time to carefully examine everything and discard anything that is possibly unsafe.

First, check the temperature inside of your refrigerator and freezer.  If any perishable food (such as meat, poultry, seafood, eggs or leftovers) has been above 40°F (4°C) for two hours or more, get rid of it.

Next, check each food item separately.  If there is food in your freezer that is partially or completely thawed, it can be safely re-frozen if still contains ice crystals or is 40°F (4°C) or below.  But throw out any food that has an unusual odor, color or texture or feels warm to the touch, and never taste a food to decide if it’s safe.  When in doubt, throw it out.

Shelf Stable Foods to Prepare for Winter Storm Food Safety

Here are some ideas for shelf stable foods and other prep for winter storms:

Consider adding these shelf-stable foods to your winter weather preparedness grocery list:

• Bottled water (at least one gallon per person per day for at least three days)
• Canned goods, especially cozy, warming foods like soups and stews
• Snack foods like chips, crackers and cookies in sealed packages
• Cereal and granola
• Anything jarred, from jellies to pickles to meats
• Canned tuna and salmon
• Peanut butter and other shelf-stable nut butters, a vegan-friendly source of protein
• Dried pasta and jarred sauce
• Wax-sealed hard cheeses
• Salted butter, which lasts longer at room temperature than unsalted butter
• Dried fruit
• Nuts
• Jerky
• Energy bars
• Shelf-stable juice
• Coffee, tea and hot cocoa mix (and maybe some marshmallows)
• Extra paper products like toilet paper and paper towels

One thing we really missed while being iced in has been fresh foods. Salad, fruit, fresh veggies and even deli meats and cheese that we were afraid to stock up on very much because we didn’t want them to spoil if there was an outage. It was SO nice to actually get to the store and get some fresh foods a few days ago. A true blessing and it tasted great!

For more winter storm preparedness ideas and food safety tips please follow Make Food Safe.