The Best Food Safety Tips For Blizzards
Stocking up at the grocery store is only half the battle when prepping for a winter storm. The other half is safely conserving everything you've stocked up on. Hank Lambert, CEO of PURE Bioscience, a company dedicated to health for food and consumer safety, shares his best tips on safely storing and preserving food if the power goes out during a winter storm:
- Keep appliance thermostats in both the refrigerator and freezer to ensure temperatures remain food safe.
- Freeze water in one-quart plastic storage bags or small containers prior to a storm to help food keep cold.
- Freeze refrigerator items such as leftovers, milk and fresh meat and poultry that you may not need immediately to keep them at safe temperatures longer.
- Group foods together in the freezer — this "igloo" effect helps the food stay cold longer.
- Don't rely on putting food outside in ice or snow, because it can attract animals or thaw when the sun comes out.
- Place meat and poultry on opposite sides of the freezer or on a tray to prevent cross-contamination of thawing juices.
- Do not open the refrigerator or freezer; a freezer that is half full will hold up to 24 hours and a full freezer for up to 48 hours. Instead, eat shelf-stable foods.
This story was originally published January 26, 2015.