A Hack That Just Makes Cents
The day before you leave for your trip, fill a freezer-safe plastic cup three-quarters full of water and put it in the freezer. Once the water freezes solid, place a coin on top of the ice before shutting the freezer door. A quarter works best because of its weight — just remember to wash it with warm, soapy water first so you don’t bring germs into your freezer.
When you return from vacation, take a look at the cup. If the coin is still sitting firmly atop the ice, you can rest easier knowing the power didn’t go out long enough for the contents of your freezer to thaw, meaning your food should still be safe to eat.
However, if the coin is partially or fully submerged, the power likely went out long enough for the ice to melt and the coin to sink before electricity returned and refroze the water. That means your food almost certainly thawed and refroze as well, making it unsafe to eat.
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This trick also comes in handy during natural disasters that force you to relocate or evacuate. When you return home, checking the coin helps you determine if power was lost and whether the contents of your fridge and freezer are safe to consume.
Not Quite Foolproof
Fact-checking sites like Snopes say this hack has its limitations. Ice can partially thaw without the coin sinking, and a solid block of ice often takes longer to melt than smaller, less dense packages of frozen food. And even if the coin stayed in place, items stored near the freezer door may have thawed and refrozen. To avoid any uncertainties, try to eat your perishables before leaving for vacation and restock when you return.
