n Keep the doors of the refrigerator closed as much as possible to allow the air inside to stay cool.

n Keep a thermometer in the refrigerator so you can monitor the temperature when you do open the door. Food is considered to be in the danger zone once the refrigerator temperature goes above 40 degrees F.

n Discard foods that have been above 40 degrees for more than two hours. Protein-containing foods such as raw or cooked meat, poultry or seafood, eggs and egg substitutes, dairy products and soft cheeses are most at risk for illness-causing bacteria growth.

n Add dry ice to your freezer to maintain cold temperatures. Keep in mind that dry ice is 216 degrees F so it must be handled carefully. Always wear gloves when handling dry ice. Allow 2 ½ - 3 pounds of dry ice per cubic foot of freezer space. It's best not to have the dry ice come in direct contact with the food. Wrap the ice in brown paper. If you have an upright freezer, it may take more as dry ice should be placed on each shelf of an upright freezer.

n If you have a large amount of empty space, fill it with clean blankets or towels to decrease circulation. Air circulation speeds up dissipation of dry ice. Dry ice creates a gas as it dissipates so stand back when you open the freezer door to let the gas escape.

Generally, food can stay frozen in the freezer one to three days without electricity. Foods in the freezer can be re-frozen if they still have ice crystals present. Thawed foods that have not reached danger zone temperatures can be cooked and then frozen.

Clean up the mess
     If your food does spoil in the refrigerator or freezer, you’ll want to disinfect it. Mix ¾ cup of liquid chlorine bleach with one gallon of warm water and wipe down all surfaces. Don’t forget the rubber gloves!