If you've lost power to your home due to Tropical Cyclone Alfred, it's still possible to assemble meals that are satisfying and comforting.
Here's what experts recommend making, whether you have access to a barbecue or gas cooker, or are making do with an esky and pantry staples.
Food safety comes first
During a blackout, time is ticking on how long perishable food will remain safe to eat from your fridge or freezer.
Matt Mason is a nurse and infection prevention and control expert at the University of the Sunshine Coast/Kabi Kabi.
He says general advice is to discard perishable food in the fridge after the power has been out for more than four hours, to avoid harmful bacteria growing that can lead to food poisoning.
If the fridge's temperature exceeds 5 degrees Celsius for less than two hours and the power returns, it should be OK.
"The freezer is a little bit different, if it's a good, well-sealed freezer, it can keep frozen food frozen for as long as 24 to 48 hours," Mr Mason says.
"The thing with your freezer foods is that if it's started to defrost … use it."
I have no cooking appliances
If you have no way of cooking using heat, our experts say a simple salad might be the easiest option.
Clare Collins, a laureate professor in nutrition and dietetics at University of Newcastle/Awabakal, says the bulk of the ingredients could come from canned items.
"Things like baked beans, or four bean mix … canned corn, they taste fine as a little bit of salad.
"If you've got a red onion and a red capsicum, you've actually got salsa.
"And if you've got some full bean mix and some wraps, you've now got a little bit of a Mexican."
Queensland cookbook author Kim McCosker says canned items such as four-bean mix and corn, combined with corn chips, can easily make veggie nachos.
"Just drain your beans, add your red onion, tomato, avocado, a tin of corn, sprinkle over your cheese, and then you just top it with some salsa,sour cream and coriander."
This can easily be adapted to a non-cook version.
Ms Collins says if you have long life or powdered milk in the pantry, eating cereal as a main meal is not the worst idea during a blackout.
"You can have breakfast cereal as breakfast, lunch and dinner, if necessary."
She says to be wary of using long-life milk once it's opened, if you can't keep it in cold storage it will need to be thrown away.
I have a barbecue/gas cooker
Before you start cooking, it's important to know that outdoor barbecues, portable gas stoves and camping stoves are not designed to be used indoors due to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
As it's important to stay inside when Tropical Cyclone Alfred hits, the no-cook options above may be your best bet if it's not safe to be outside.
Clare Collins says the sky is the limit if you are able to cook on a barbecue or gas cooker.
She recommends people look at what they need to use in their fridge first.
"I'd focus on what is not going to last in your fridge," she said.
"So, if you've got any meat, chicken, fish in your fridge, then I would be cooking that first.
"Then work back from there, maybe by the next meal it's the frozen things that are now defrosted, and you've got to cook them up."
She recommends making a list of items in your fridge/freezer, or taking photographs, so you don't need to continually open the door when meal prepping and trying to keep cold air in.
Queensland cookbook author Kim McCosker says she always has a pre-roasted BBQ chicken in the fridge for easy meals.
"I've got three boys, so I have always got the bachelor's handbag barbecue chicken in the fridge.
"I'm shredding it and I'm mixing it with a little bit of sour cream and sweet chili sauce and whatever salad/veggies.
"Then I'm rolling it up in a really simple rice paper roll."
If you have tinned jackfruit in the pantry, try these , cooked with Mexican-style spice mix and barbecue sauce.
Serve with fresh chunky salsa, guacamole, corn and purple cabbage, and you've got yourself a quick vegan feast.
Frozen items like quiche or pizzas can also be covered and cooked on the barbecue or gas cooker.
If you're cooking meat that's still partially frozen, the advice is to cut it into smaller pieces to make sure it has cooked through thoroughly.
Matt Mason says when it comes to leftovers — they fall into the category of perishable food items, and are potentially hazardous, so "if you're in any doubt, throw it out".
Cleaning up and hygiene
Matt Mason says of equal importance to food safety in a blackout is washing up dishes and hand hygiene.
"If you're going to be cooking and eating, we need to keep our plates and cutlery clean," he said.
"We actually need to look at how we're keeping our personal hygiene and the food preparation areas clean.
"For people who are on town water, if the town water becomes a supply issue, filling up your bath so that you've got access to water for doing things such as cleaning is great.
"Then, if you are going to be using water that potentially hasn't been treated to normal, it's a good idea to boil that water (if you can)."
Ms Collins says one of the key things you'll still need to do is wash your hands.
"You might want to have some hand gel (if water is not available).
"It's going to be harder to access hot water, so you may need things like disposable plates."
