Coping with a Power Outage as a Vegan
By Reed Mangels, PhD, RD
Picture this – A freezer stocked with containers of homemade vegan entrées, soups, and side dishes. It also holds bags of frozen vegetables, several pints of frozen desserts purchased on sale, and a half dozen packages of strawberries from last summer’s trip to the you-pick farm. Sounds like you’re in a good place, right?
Now imagine waking up at 1 AM and realizing that the house is dark and getting cold. The power is out for an indefinite amount of time. What can you do to increase the odds that you won’t have to pitch everything in your freezer?
If your freezer is full, odds are better that foods will stay frozen than if the freezer only has a few things in it. If you are concerned about the possibility of a power loss – say, the forecast is for high winds later in the week – and your freezer is only partially full, you can fill containers with water and put them in the freezer. Once frozen, they’ll help keep the food in the freezer cold if the power goes out. You can take the water-filled containers out when you need more room for food in the freezer.
According to the FDA, a full freezer will keep food cold enough in a power outage for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it is half full) if the door remains closed. The FDA suggests buying dry ice, if possible, which will keep food cold for a few days. When the power goes on, the food in the freezer can be eaten (or refrozen) if the food still has ice crystals or if the freezer temperature has remained at or below 40 degrees F. “If at any point the food was above 40o F for 2 hours or more (or 1 hour if temperatures are above 90o F) — discard it,“ says the FDA.
If the power outage is in the winter and the outdoor temperature is consistently below 40 o F and if animal scavengers are not a problem, some foods can be kept cold by placing them outside in an ice chest. Try to keep them out of the sun to help keep the food at a low enough temperature.
Remember, if the food is thawed, it’s not worth the risk of getting sick – discard it.
Reference:
FDA. Food and Water Safety During Power Outages and Floods. https://www.fda.gov/food/buy-store-serve-safe-food/food-and-water-safety-during-power-outages-and-floods?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery
For more information see: Disaster Planning for Vegetarians
