How To Use The Quarter Hack For Freezer Safety

If traveling is part of your summer plans, I've got some advice to share.

I came across this simple freezer trick a while back, and with Minnesota storm season in full swing, it might be one of the smartest household hacks you'll hear all year.

POWER OUTAGES DURING SUMMER

Think about it. How many of us have an extra freezer tucked away in the basement, garage, or at the cabin? If the power goes out while you're away, you may never know that everything inside that freezer thawed and refroze. It could have been sitting there for DAYS and then froze again, and you'd never know it.

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THE QUARTER TRICK

That's where a quarter and a cup of water come in.

Here's how it works:

Fill a disposable cup with water and place it in your freezer. Once the water freezes solid, grab a quarter and put it on top of the ice in the cup, then put the cup back in your freezer.

That's it.

CHECK THE CUP

Now imagine you're away for a few days and a strong Minnesota thunderstorm knocks out power to your home. When you get back, check the cup.

If the quarter is still sitting on top of the ice, your freezer likely stayed frozen the entire time, so you can rest assured all of your food stayed frozen while you were gone.

If the quarter has sunk partway down into the ice, your food may have partially thawed before refreezing. You can then decide whether to risk keeping that food or throw it out.

WARNING SIGN

But if the quarter is sitting at the very bottom of the cup, that's not good. It means the ice melted completely at some point, allowing the quarter to sink before everything refroze. In that case, your frozen food may no longer be safe to eat.

It's such a simple idea, but it could save you from eating food that's been through an unnoticed thaw.

HELPFUL TIP

Of course, this trick isn't a substitute for following food safety guidelines, but it can provide a helpful clue after a power outage, especially if you're away from home when it happens.

Now I'm curious. Do you have a clever household hack that has saved you money, time, or a major headache? I'd love to hear about it.