Here's How Long You Have To Save Your Food If Your Fridge Dies

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Storage and Preservation Tips

Here's How Long You Have To Save Your Food If Your Fridge Dies By Willow Roberts Aug. 27, 2025 10:20 am EST

Power outages are no fun, and they often lead to a lot of wasted food. You might want to save as much as you possibly can, but the hard truth is that a disconnected fridge can only keep food safe for four hours. Once those four hours are up, you'll need to do as the United States Department of Agriculture recommends and throw out all the perishable food like meat, eggs, fish, and leftovers.

Because the time limit is so tight, keeping track of when a power outage starts and ends is essential. This is most problematic when your power goes out during the night — but there could be ways of figuring it out. If your fridge has a thermometer