Prairie Fare: When the lights go out — Keep food safe during power outages

Keep your food supply safe during and after a power outage. (Pixabay photo)

Keep your food supply safe during and after a power outage. (Pixabay photo)

Prairie Fare: When the lights go out — Keep food safe during power outages

Prairie Fare: When the lights go out — Keep food safe during power outages

Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., R.D., L.R.D., is a North Dakota State University Extension food and nutrition specialist and professor in the Department of Health, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences.

Julie Garden-Robinson, Ph.D., R.D., L.R.D., is a North Dakota State University Extension food and nutrition specialist and professor in the Department of Health, Nutrition and Exercise Sciences.

I must have unplugged the vacuum, I thought to myself when it suddenly stopped working.

I walked over to check. The vacuum was still connected. Maybe I blew a fuse.

I flipped on a light switch to go to the basement. The lights didn’t work, either.

We were in the middle of our first winter storm of the year. Since my cell phone worked, I learned our home was among about 4,500 homes without power.

I rea…