Safety Tips for Keeping Your Food Safe Both During and After a Hurricane or Tropical Storm

Keeping your food safe and at the proper temperatures during a major storm is important to preventing foodborne illness

August 7, 2025

Hurricane and tropical storm seasons are becoming more intense and unpredictable. Extended power outages, flooding and high winds can compromise refrigerators, freezers and pantries, putting your family at risk of foodborne illness. By preparing in advance, monitoring temperatures during an outage, and knowing how to assess and discard unsafe items, you can minimize waste and protect everyone’s health. These tips reflect current best practices, new technologies and North Carolina–specific resources for storm readiness and recovery.

Preparing in Advance

Create a storm food safety kit. Include appliance thermometers, freezer thermometers, a cooler with frozen gel packs, resealable storage bags, a manual can opener, liquid bleach for sanitizing and basic cleaning supplies.
Store nonperishable foods such as canned fruits, vegetables, beans, nut butters, shelf-stable milks and bottled water. Rotate these items quarterly to maintain freshness.
Freeze extra items before a storm, leftovers, cooked grains, fresh meat and poultry. Label each package with contents and date so you can use oldest items first.
Charge portable power stations and solar battery banks. Modern lithium-ion battery generators can run a small fridge for several hours and recharge via solar panels if grid power is out for days.
Backup digital inventory by photographing or videoing pantry and freezer contents. Store the file in cloud storage so you can access it even if your home is damaged.

If the Power Goes Out

Monitor temperatures inside your refrigerator and freezer with analog or digital appliance thermometers. Food is safe below 40°F in the fridge and 0°F in the freezer.
Keep doors closed. A full freezer maintains its temperature for 48 hours (24 hours if half-full); a refrigerator keeps safe for about 4 hours if unopened.
Group items together in the freezer for an “igloo” effect that holds cold longer. Place milk, yogurt and eggs together in the fridge’s coldest zone.
Use frozen water containers. One-quart plastic bags filled halfway with water make custom ice packs; they fit around food and extend safe temperatures.
Switch to coolers when necessary. If the outage exceeds 4 hours, transfer perishables into ice-filled coolers, replenishing ice or gel packs every 6 to 8 hours.
Prioritize high-risk foods. When ice runs low, eat fresh meat, poultry, fish and dairy first, then vegetables, fruits and baked goods. Low-risk items like hard cheeses and cured meats last longer.

Smart Monitoring and Alerts

Install smart appliance sensors that send alerts to your phone when temperatures rise above safe limits. These devices can trigger notifications at 42°F or higher in the fridge.
Use home automation to power essential lights or a small freezer on a backup generator. Set critical outlets on dedicated circuits to prevent overloading.

After a Weather Emergency

Check all perishable foods individually. Discard any item above 40°F for two hours or more. When in doubt, throw it out.
Examine appearance and smell. Discard food with off-odors, unusual textures or visible mold.
Refreeze with caution. If frozen food still has ice crystals and is 40°F or below, refreezing is safe; otherwise toss it.
Avoid tasting food to determine safety; that can lead to illness.

Following a Flood

Discard any food exposed to flood water, not only perishables but also packaged goods in non-waterproof containers such as cardboard, plastic wrap or screw-capped jars.
Throw away drained home-canned foods and any damaged cans, bulging, leaking, rusted or severely dented.
Sanitize undamaged cans by washing with soap and water, then immerse in a bleach solution (1 tablespoon bleach per gallon of water) for two minutes before drying and using.

Food Preservation Alternatives

Canning and pickling stand out as long-term solutions, properly sealed jars last up to one year without power.
Dehydration of fruits, vegetables and herbs reduces weight and spoilage risk; dried foods rehydrate in soups and stews.
Fermentation produces kimchi, sauerkraut and pickles that stay safe at ambient temperature for weeks.

Community and Shelter Guidance

If you relocate to a storm shelter or evacuation center, follow these tips:

Bring ready-to-eat, nonperishable foods in single-serve packaging.
Use disposable plates, cups and utensils to limit cleanup.
Store unopened water bottles separately from toiletries or cleaning supplies to avoid contamination.
Wash hands thoroughly before eating. Shelters may have limited water; use hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol if needed.

North Carolina Resources

North Carolina residents can consult the NC Department of Agriculture & Consumer Services Food and Drug Protection Division at 919-707-3144 for guidance on post-storm food safety. The NC Emergency Management website lists shelter locations and regional food preservation workshops. Cooperative Extension offices offer fact sheets on hurricane preparedness and canning classes to build long-term resilience.

Long-Term Storage Tips

Rotate your emergency food supply annually to use older items first.
Store grains, beans and dry goods in airtight, food-grade buckets with oxygen absorbers for multi-year shelf life.
Label all containers with purchase date and recommended use-by date.

Severe storms test our emergency plans, but with careful preparation, timely monitoring and informed recovery actions, you can safeguard your food supply and avoid illness. Take these steps before the next hurricane, and you’ll be ready to weather any outage or flood with confidence in your family’s well-being.