Grid-Down Freezer Triage
A full chest freezer is hundreds of dollars of food, and after an outage the clock is running. Tell this tool what's in yours and how long the power has been out, and it gives you the federal safe-time window, a highest-risk-first action list (what to pressure-can, cook, or refreeze), and the dry ice that buys you two more days.
Your freezer
SizeWhat's inside (rough lbs)
Not sure of pounds? A packed freezer holds roughly 35 lb per cubic foot (extension estimate) — yours could hold about 525 lb.
Your triage plan
~48 hours of safe time left
A full freezer keeps food safe about 48 hours with the door closed (FoodSafety.gov / USDA FSIS). Keep the door shut and work the list below in order.
- 1. Raw poultry20 lb
Highest risk — deal with this first. Pressure-can it (NCHFP), cook now then can, or cook and eat. Refreeze only if it still has ice crystals (FSIS).
Pressure-canning it all: ~10 quart jars (20 lb at ~2 lb per quart — NCHFP).
- 2. Raw meat (beef, pork, game)40 lb
Pressure-can it (NCHFP), cook now then can, or cure/dry with a tested recipe. Refreeze OK if it still has ice crystals (FSIS).
Pressure-canning it all: ~20 quart jars (40 lb at ~2 lb per quart — NCHFP).
- 3. Vegetables25 lb
Refreeze OK if still icy (FSIS, quality suffers). Or pressure-can with a tested NCHFP recipe — vegetables are low-acid.
Pressure-canning it all: ~13 quart jars (25 lb at ~2 lb per quart — NCHFP).
Buying time with dry ice
About 42 lb of dry ice would hold your 15 cu ft freezer for roughly 2 more days (50 lb per 18 cu ft — UAF Extension / USDA FSIS). Handle with gloves, never in an airtight room.
Safe-hold times, the 40°F/2-hour discard rule, and refreeze guidance are USDA FSIS and FoodSafety.gov rules, restated here — not our own advice. Canning yields are NCHFP. Freezer density is an extension estimate. When in doubt, throw it out (FSIS).
Share your result
The image and link point back to PlotToTable and the Preparedness Plan.
The rules quoted in this tool come straight from FoodSafety.gov, USDA FSIS, and the National Center for Home Food Preservation. We restate them; we don't replace them. When in doubt, throw it out (FSIS).
Be ready before the outage
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Did your kit's food-bucket math survive the same scrutiny? Run the Bucket Truth Calculator, or size your whole reserve with the Supply Calculator.
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