Preparing for Winter Storm Emergencies

As New Englanders, we take winter storm warnings in stride but these storms can often disrupt your usual routine. Winter storms can leave you without power or prevent you from getting to the grocery store.

Planning ahead for winter weather can eliminate a major source of stress for you, your family, or others you care for, such as an elderly relative or neighbor.

Planning ahead for winter storm emergencies can range from a well-organized 7-day emergency food supply to a few basic items to keep on hand. Regardless of where you are on the range of planning activities, the ABCD's of keeping food safe in an emergency can help you plan what you'll need. The ABCD's are:

A - A lways keep meat, poultry, fish and eggs refrigerated at or below 40 degrees F. and frozen food at or below 0 degrees F. This may be challenging if there is no power! Keep the refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible to maintain the cold temperature. Once the power goes off, the refrigerator will keep food safely cold for about four hours if it's unopened. A full freezer will hold the temperature for approximately 48 hours (24 hours if it's half full) if the door remains closed.

B - B e prepared by stocking up on foods that don't need to be refrigerated and can be eaten cold. Here are some examples of foods to keep on hand:

• Water one gallon per person per day
• Ready-to-eat canned foods vegetables, fruit, beans, meat, fish, poultry, pasta
• Soups canned
• Smoked or dried meats commercial beef jerky
• Dried fruits and vegetables raisins, fruit leather
• Juices (vegetable and fruit) bottled, canned or powdered
• Milk powdered, canned, evaporated
• Staples sugar, instant potatoes and rice, coffee, tea, cocoa mix
• Ready-to-eat cereals, instant hot cereals, crackers
• High energy foods peanut butter, nuts, trail mix, granola bars
• Cookies, candy, chocolate bars, soft drinks, other snacks
• Ready-to-use baby formula for infants and pet food
• Manual can opener

C - Consider what you can do ahead of time to store food safely in an emergency. For example, keep an insulated cooler on hand to keep food cold if the power is out for more than four hours. Keep frozen gel packs or blocks of ice in your freezer and use these to keep perishable food cold in the cooler.

D - Digital, dial, or instant-read food and appliance thermometers will help you know if food is at safe temperatures. Appliance thermometers in the refrigerator and freezer will help you decide which foods can be safely refrozen and which should be thrown out when the power comes back on.

When the power is out, extra care is needed to keep food safe. These general food safety tips apply every day but are especially important when food preparation routines are disrupted:

• Wash hands and surfaces often.
• Keep raw foods separate from ready-to-eat foods.
• Cook food to recommended temperatures.
• Keep cold food cold and hot foods hot.
• Follow the two-hour rule throw out perishable food stored at temperatures above 40 degrees F. for 2 or more hours.

Lastly, be sure to contact the UNH Cooperative Extension Family, Home & Garden Education Center's Info Line at 1-877-398-4769 Monday-Friday from 9-2 pm for answers to your food safety and food preservation questions.

Catherine Violette, Ph.D., UNH Cooperative Extension Specialist, Food and Nutrition Posted March 10, 2006