Why You Should Put A Quarter In Your Freezer ASAP

Have you ever been away from home for the day during a storm, and you return only to wonder if the power went out? You might be staring at the food in your fridge and freezer, trying to figure out how long the power may have been out. Is your food still good? Well, there is one way to know for sure. Just put a quarter in your freezer.

Use any open container: a coffee cup, a food storage container, or a bowl will do. Fill your container of choice about halfway with water and put it in your freezer. Allow the water to completely freeze (overnight works well). Then, put a quarter on top of the ice and place it back in your freezer. Don't have a quarter? No need to worry, this hack will work with any type of coin.

Keep this quarter on ice in your freezer all the time so you can see whether the power went out. If it's still on top, power probably didn't go out at all or for very long, and your food's likely still good. Is the quarter at the bottom? The power has been out for a while, and the food's probably no good. If the quarter is somewhere in the middle, the food in your freezer may be ok, but anything in the fridge likely is not. Keep in mind, this trick is only an estimation of how long the power was out. To be certain of any power outage, use a thermometer to determine how high the temp in your freezer got.

There are some ways to determine how long food in your fridge and freezer lasts after a power outage. If your power goes out, avoid opening the door to your fridge and freezer as it allows the cold air to escape.

According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, food in your fridge will stay good for up to 4 hours if the door remains closed. However, the freezer depends on how full it is. If it's half full, the food will remain safe to eat for up to 24 hours, and if it's full, it will be ok up to 48 hours, as long as the door isn't opened.

If you're unsure, you can check each item separately for spoilage. While an unnatural color or odor can indicate it's gone bad, there are other ways to tell if food, like pork chops, is still safe to eat. For example, if there are ice crystals on the items, it is probably still safe to eat. Another way to be sure is to use a food thermometer to check the temperature. Stick the thermometer into each food item (cleaning in between checks to prevent cross-contamination). Refrigerated items that are 45 degrees Fahrenheit or colder are still safe. For freezer items, that temperature needs to be 40 degrees Fahrenheit or colder. If it's warmer, it's best to discard the item.