Food: What To Keep, What To Discard

Here are a few guidelines for deciding what to keep and what to throw out of your refrigerator and freezer if your power is out.

Discard: The following foods should be discarded if kept over two hours at above 40 °F.

Meat, poultry, fish, eggs and egg substitutes — raw or cooked

Milk, cream, yogurt and soft cheese (blue, Roquefort, Brie Camembert, cottage, cream Edam, Monterey Jack, ricotta, mozzarella, Muenster, Neufchatel), shredded cheese

Casseroles, stews or soups

Lunch meats and hot dogs

Creamy-based salad dressings

Custard, chiffon or cheese pies, cream-filled pastries, Refrigerator and cookie dough

Discard open mayonnaise, tartar sauce and horseradish if above 50 °F for over eight hours.

Save: The following foods should keep at room temperature a few days. Still, discard anything that turns moldy or has an unusual odor.

Butter or margarine

Processed and hard cheese (Cheddar, Colby, Swiss, Parmesan, provolone, Romano)

Fresh fruits and vegetables, fruit juices

Dried fruits and coconut

Vinegar-based salad dressings, jelly, relish, taco sauce, barbecue sauce, mustard, ketchup, olives and peanut butter

Fresh herbs and spices

Fruit pies, bread, rolls and muffins

Cakes, except cream cheese-frosted or cream-filled

Flour and nuts

Refreeze: Thawed foods that still contain ice crystals may be refrozen. Thawed foods that do not contain ice crystals but you are certain have been kept at 40 °F or below for no more than 1 to 2 days, may be cooked, then refrozen or canned.