How long does food last in the fridge without electricity?

The food stays cold for about four hours if you don’t open the door, according to the US Department of Health & Human Services. Freezers can keep their contents frozen a bit longer – full freezers last about 48 hours and half-full freezers last 24 hours.

If the power goes out for an extended period, dry or block ice can keep your food cold until power is restored. You can make your own ice cream during a winter power outage by filling containers with water and leaving them outside, but don’t put your food in the snow to keep it cold — that’ll cause trouble for your local wildlife.