Experiencing a power outage can be challenging, but with a little creativity, your evening can still be comfortable and enjoyable. Here are some ideas to help you and your family manage dinner, entertainment and bedtime without the comforts of electrical appliances.
If you are a life support customer experiencing a power outage, please activate your emergency plan. This is the plan you created with your medical practitioner to use during a power outage. You can call our life support priority line anytime on 1800 818 832.
Planning dinner without electricity
Try some of these dinner ideas:
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No-cook recipes
You can find lots of great no-cook recipe ideas on the internet, like rice paper rolls, vegetable tacos and salads. -
Fondue
If you have a non-electric fondue set, you can make cheese or chocolate fondue. It’s a great way to use up your perishables, and a fun way to keep the family entertained too. Always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines for your safety. -
Re-think traditional hot favourites
Instead of cooking your oats for breakfast, you can soak them in water. -
Eat out
If you can safely leave the house, visit friends and family for a meal, order take-away or dine out if this is an option for you.
Safe ways to cook
Portable gas stoves are designed for outdoor use only. Using one inside—even in a garage or near an open window—can lead to dangerous outcomes. Here are some safer cooking alternatives.
Outdoor barbecue (gas or charcoal)
- Use in an open, well-ventilated space—never indoors or in a garage.
- Keep it away from walls, fences and overhanging trees.
- Have water or a fire extinguisher nearby just in case.
Electric battery stove
- Safe to use indoors - ideal if you have backup battery power.
- Check battery capacity before relying on it for longer outages.
- Great for boiling water or cooking small meals.
Fireplace (if available)
- Can be used to heat water or cook food using cast iron cookware.
- Always supervise, use a fire screen, and keep flammable items well away.
Ready-to-eat food
Stock your pantry with non-perishables like tinned meals and soups, long-life milk, crackers, cereal, muesli bars and peanut butter or spreads.
For safety tips when cooking with no power, visit the Victorian Department of Health website.
Staying in your home overnight without power
If it’s safe to stay in your house during a power outage, there are ways you can make your evening at home more comfortable.
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Temperature control
Finding ways to manage the temperature of your home may help you feel more comfortable. Follow some of these tips to stay comfortable during an outage. -
Entertainment without power
Here are our top 10 family-friendly ideas to help keep everyone entertained without electronics.
Safety tips:
- Choose battery-operated lights
Flameless candles are safer than traditional candles, as they are battery operated and can be left unattended. You can buy them at major department stores and popular online stores. If you use traditional candles, never leave them unattended, especially around pets and children. -
Know how to manually operate your electric doors and gates
If you have any electric doors and gates, like a garage door, make sure you know how to manually open and close these doors so you can easily do this during an outage, especially if you need to leave your home. Contact the installer or manufacturer for help. -
Assume all fallen powerlines are live
If you leave the house, stay away from fallen powerlines, and always assume they are live.
If you received our Afternoon Update, it means we don’t think we can get your power back on by sunset. Make sure you can stay connected overnight so you never miss an SMS or email update (we'll communicate with you according to your communication preferences). You can also search your street or NMI on Outage Tracker at any time for the latest information about your power outage. For ways to stay connected, read Staying connected during an unplanned power outage.