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Essentials

Emergency cooking without power

Alternative cooking can introduce fire, burns and carbon-monoxide poisoning. The safest plan begins with food that needs no cooking and uses any appliance only as its manufacturer and local fire authority permit.

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From AidWorkers Humanitarian experience applied at homeEvidence base 4 named sourcesReviewed 25 July 2026

Why this matters

Build a menu that can step down with the situation: normal meals, low-fuel meals and no-cook food. Keep fuel separate and legal, and never assume a camping stove, barbecue or generator is safe inside a home, tent, garage or other enclosed space.

Cooking also uses water and creates washing-up. Plan simple portions, clean utensils and food-safe temperatures. If power returns after a long outage, check appliances and food before returning to normal.

Before disruption

Prepare now

  • Keep several safe meals that require no heat, refrigeration or complicated preparation.
  • Read appliance instructions and local fire guidance before choosing any backup method.
  • Store permitted fuel safely, away from living areas, heat, children and ignition sources.
  • Keep a suitable extinguisher or fire blanket only where recommended and learn how to use it.
  • Test the menu during an ordinary day and record water, fuel, utensils and time actually used.

When it is happening

Protect the next decision

  1. Cook only in a location and manner approved for the device, fuel and current conditions.
  2. Keep children, loose clothing and flammable material away from heat and open flame.
  3. Never leave active cooking unattended and stop if ventilation, stability or supervision is inadequate.
  4. If carbon-monoxide poisoning is suspected, move to fresh air when safe and contact emergency services.

Plan for real people

Access, care and inclusion

  • Plan methods that can be used by people with limited grip, reach, vision, balance or stamina.
  • Prepare suitable no-cook options for people who cannot safely operate the backup equipment.
  • Consider smells, smoke and allergens in shared accommodation or shelters.
  • Keep medicine and medical oxygen away from flames and heat as instructed by professionals.

Mental readiness

Protect morale and clear thinking

  • A warm drink or simple hot meal can restore routine, but only when the heating method is safe.
  • Choose one familiar low-fuel meal that the household enjoys and can make together.
  • Keep the cook’s workload realistic. Tired people make more mistakes around heat and blades.

Common mistakes

What to avoid

  • Using barbecues, generators or fuel-burning camping appliances in enclosed or partly enclosed areas.
  • Improvising burners, fuels, flues or electrical connections.
  • Spending scarce clean water and fuel on complicated meals before essential needs are secure.

Evidence and review

Sources behind this guide

Prepare Now uses authoritative government, humanitarian and public-health material as a starting point. Source advice can be specific to a country, hazard or date, so check the current version for your location.

Continue preparing

Food & nutritionKeep familiar, nutritious food that matches health, culture, storage, water and cooking realities.Power & lightingProtect essential devices, use safer light, manage batteries and avoid generator and charging hazards.Home safety & toolsReduce everyday hazards, secure heavy objects and keep a small set of tools people can use safely.

Editorial status: first staging edition. Safety-critical instructions will receive specialist and jurisdiction review before public launch.