When I head out for an extended trip or adventure, I usually find it a great time to clean out my fridge. However, sometimes it’s difficult to predict how much food will be left over, so sometimes some vegetables or drinks will still be left inside. One of my biggest concerns is how do I know if it’s all safe by the time I return?
The FDA says frozen food can stay safe for up to 48 hours in a full freezer or 24 hours in a half-full one during a power outage, as long as the door remains closed. After that, bacteria can grow after your food is above 40 degrees Fahrenheit for over two hours. It’s often hard to know how long an outage might have lasted unless you’re great friends with your neighbor. So, here’s a coin trick that I learned from one of my own neighbors.
How to implement the Tupperware coin trick
This trick is just as simple as it sounds. Here’s how it works:
First, take a small cup or Tupperware container that will fit comfortably in your freezer and fill it about three-fourths of the way with water. It’ll take a few hours in the freezer until it’s solid, depending on the size of your container, but once the block is hard, set a quarter or any other coin on top of it and return the container to the freezer.
A properly functioning freezer keeps a temperature of about 0 degrees, which keeps everything from ice cream to raw chicken safely frozen. If the power stays on, the ice in your container won’t melt, and the quarter will still sit on top of the ice block when you return.
That said, if the power cuts out for an extended period, the freezer will lose its chill, and the ice will melt, letting the quarter sink into the bottom of the Tupperware. It’s also important to note that the placement of your Tupperware matters. When placed towards the door, there is a higher chance of it melting, while if you stash it in the back, the ice might not melt as much. I’d choose a happy medium.
This is a great hack because there have been plenty of times when I might not have known the difference, increasing the risk for food-borne illness at my house. While it’s not perfect because I can’t say when or how long the freezer was out, I’ll at least have a hint about the situation of the house while we were away.
Ever since implementing this hack, I’ve been able to eat with confidence that my food hasn’t been sitting out in the warmth. Of course, it’s always best to use your best judgment, even if the quarter didn’t sink. If your food is smelly, looks soggy from ice melt, or if you see new scores of freezer burn, this could be another sign that your food isn’t as safe as you thought it was, and you’re better off tossing the lot.
