Have you ever gone away for a weekend getaway, a business trip, or a vacation and returned to find the digital clock had been reset?
You probably already know there was a power outage when you departed, but you are unable to pinpoint its exact timing or duration.
The length of time the food was in the refrigerator in the heat before it cooled off again and started to spoil is therefore impossible to ascertain.
A woman by the name of Sheila Pulanco Russell posted a terrific advice on her Facebook wall for anyone who had to leave their home.
The advice will put your mind at ease regarding whether the food in your freezer is okay to eat or needs to be thrown out right away, and it’s also useful to know in case you have to leave your house for an extended period of time.
The key ingredient is a cup, a coin, and some tap water—three basic but practical objects that everyone has at home.
Sheila provides instructions in a Facebook post that garnered tens of thousands of replies and shares right away. She says:
“I just heard a terrific tip for all of you who are fleeing the coast. It is known as the “one cup tip.” Your freezer contains a cup of water. Place a quarter on top after it has been completely frozen, and keep it in your freezer. This will enable you to determine whether your food just went bad and then refroze while you were away or whether it remained frozen when you returned after being evacuated.
The food should be thrown out if the quarter has reached the bottom of the cup, which indicates that it has entirely defrosted. However, your food can still be fine if the quarter is either at the top or in the center of the cup. Keeping this in your freezer all the time would also be a terrific idea, giving you a backup plan in the event of a power outage.
Simply discard your food if you don’t feel good about it. The most important thing is everyone’s safety.
Share this wonderful advice with your loved ones so they can possibly save a life.
