Christine Gallary

Whether you live in an area that’s prone to thunderstorms, hurricanes, earthquakes, tornadoes, or any other number of natural disasters, if the power goes out, we all have the same questions: How long can we still eat the food in the refrigerator or freezer, and what should we keep or pitch after the power comes back on? Here’s a guide to help you both monitor and know what to do with food when there’s no electricity.

Everybody knows that pizza is the moving-day meal of choice—pizza shops are everywhere, open continuously, and deliver. Bonus: You don’t need plates or silverware to eat pizza, and everyone loves it! But what about the first morning in your new place? If your boxes haven’t arrived yet or you just haven’t gotten around to unpacking (moving day was stressful enough!), you’ll need some basic-as-it-gets kitchen supplies so you don’t have to turn to takeout.