How to cook without power in an emergency (safely)
For a 72-hour emergency you don’t need to cook at all: plan meals that can be eaten cold. If you want hot food and drinks, use a camping gas stove outdoors (garden, terrace, balcony where allowed), keep two or three spare cartridges, and have a carbon monoxide alarm. Charcoal barbecues and camping stoves must never be used indoors.
We earn a commission if you buy through these links, at no extra cost to you. Brands never pay for placement. Read our disclosure.
Start with food that needs no cooking
Most civil-protection lists, from Germany’s BBK to France’s “Tous responsables” guide, recommend food that can be eaten without cooking. Tinned fish, beans and fruit, crackers, muesli with UHT milk, nut butter and dried fruit get you through three days with no stove at all. Ready.gov notes that commercially tinned food can be eaten straight from the tin. Our 72-hour emergency food list has a full no-cook menu.
A stove is still worth having: hot drinks matter for morale and warmth, especially in winter, and you may need to boil water if a boil-water notice is issued.
Which emergency stove?
| Stove type | Fuel | Best for | Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-burner camping stove | Screw-on gas cartridge | Most households; light and simple | Outdoors |
| Cassette (tabletop) stove | Butane cassette canister | Cooking real meals on a table | Outdoors unless the manual allows indoor use with ventilation |
| Barbecue | Charcoal or gas bottle | Cooking for a family in a garden | Outdoors only, never in a garage or tent |
| Fondue pot, chafing dish, candle warmer | Gel or spirit burner, tealights | Keeping food warm | Indoors with care and ventilation |
For most homes a simple gas camping stove and a few gas cartridges is the right choice. They store for years, light instantly and can boil a litre of water (34 fl oz) in minutes.
Carbon monoxide: the danger you can’t smell
Every flame produces carbon monoxide (CO) when it burns without enough air. You can’t see, smell or taste it. The NHS lists the symptoms as headache, dizziness, nausea, tiredness, confusion and shortness of breath. During blackouts, emergency services in many countries see CO poisonings from barbecues, generators and stoves brought indoors.
- Never use a charcoal barbecue, generator or camping stove inside your home, garage, tent or car.
- Never use a gas oven or hob to heat a room.
- Fit a battery-powered carbon monoxide alarm near where you sleep and where any flame is used. Mains-only alarms stop in a blackout.
- If anyone feels unwell, get everyone, pets included, into fresh air and call the emergency number (112 in Europe, 911 in North America).
Cooking safely on a balcony or in the garden
- Check your building’s rules: some forbid open flames on balconies.
- Set the stove on a stable, non-flammable surface, out of the wind and away from doors, windows and vents.
- Change cartridges outdoors, away from any flame, and check the seal.
- Keep children and pets away, and never leave a lit stove unattended.
- Have a lid or damp cloth ready to smother a pan fire; never throw water on burning fat.
Tricks that save gas and water
- Boil once, use all day. Fill a vacuum flask with boiling water for tea, instant soup and porridge later.
- Lid on, flame low. A lid roughly halves the time to boil.
- Quick-cooking food. Couscous, instant noodles, oats and fine bulgur only need to soak in hot water.
- Retained-heat cooking. Bring pasta or rice to the boil, turn off the gas and wrap the closed pan in a towel or sleeping bag for 15–20 minutes.
- Heat tins safely. Ready.gov advises removing the label, washing the tin and opening it before warming it.
Storing fuel safely
Store gas cartridges and canisters upright, in a cool, ventilated place out of direct sun, away from heat sources and out of children’s reach. Don’t store large amounts indoors: a few cartridges are enough for a 72-hour plan. In winter, pure butane works poorly near 0 °C (32 °F); choose cartridges sold for cold weather.
Your cooking kit for 72 hours
| Product | Best for | Key spec | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camping gas stove | Hot drinks and simple meals | Single burner, piezo ignition | Check price on Amazon |
| Gas cartridges (2–3 spare) | Fuel for three days | Check burn time on the pack | Check price on Amazon |
| Battery CO alarm | Any home using flames | Battery powered | Check price on Amazon |
| Vacuum flask | Saving gas | Keeps water hot for hours | Check price on Amazon |
| Manual tin opener | Tins without ring-pulls | No power needed | Check price on Amazon |
We don’t list prices because they change often. Use the button to see the current price on Amazon.
See also what to do in a power blackout and how to keep warm without heating.
Questions people ask
Can I use a camping stove indoors during a power cut?
Official advice in the US (Ready.gov) is that camp stoves and charcoal grills are for outdoor use only, because of carbon monoxide and fire risk. Cook outside, on a terrace or a balcony where your building allows it, away from doors and windows. Always follow your stove’s manual.
What is the safest way to heat food without electricity?
Eat cold food first. For hot drinks and simple meals, a gas camping stove used outdoors is the most practical. Indoors, Ready.gov lists low-heat options such as fondue pots, chafing dishes and candle warmers, used with care and ventilation.
How much gas should I store for a 72-hour emergency?
Check the burn time on your stove and cartridges. As a starting point, keep two or three spare cartridges for a household, and use a lid, a small pan and a flask to make each one last longer.
Why does my butane stove not work in the cold?
Pure butane struggles to vaporise near freezing, around 0 °C (32 °F). In winter use cartridges sold as winter or isobutane-propane mix, and keep them warm (for example in a pocket) before use.
What are the signs of carbon monoxide poisoning?
Headache, dizziness, nausea, tiredness, confusion and shortness of breath, often affecting several people or pets at once. Get into fresh air immediately and call the emergency number.
Keep reading
- 72-hour emergency food list (no cooking)
- /what-to-do-in-a-power-blackout/
- How to keep warm without heating in a power cut
- /kits/blackout/