Anyone going away this Christmas is informed to make use of 1p trick earlier than leaving house
A simple hack using just a frozen cup of water and a 1p coin can help you check whether your freezer food could have spoiled while you were away
Anyone heading away this Christmas is being advised to use a 1p hack before departing home – to ensure their fridge food remains safe to eat upon their return.
If you’ve travelled to visit relatives or taken a well-deserved holiday, there’s a potential issue that could pose serious health risks when you get back.
Whilst you’re absent, your property might experience a power outage, rendering anything stored in your fridge or freezer potentially unsafe to consume.
However, by the time you arrive home, the electricity could have been restored, leaving you completely unaware of what happened.
Instagram user cookistwow offers this clever tip: “If you’re leaving town and want to make sure your freezer kept your food cold while you were away, freeze a cup of water and put a coin on top of it in the freezer”.
“If the coin stays up top, the water never thawed and your food is still good. If the coin is at the bottom of the cup, time to empty your fridge/freezer.
“Freezers are great at keeping food fresh for weeks, even months. But what if the power goes out while you’re not home? You might not realize it, and some of that food could have thawed and refrozen, making it unsafe to eat. That’s where this simple hack comes in”.
A fully stocked freezer can maintain its temperature for up to 48 hours (when left unopened), but once items reach room temperature – particularly meat, seafood, or dairy products – it’s safer to discard them. Another method would be to place a 1p coin atop an ice cube tray and check if it has sunk upon your return.
The advice was well-received by followers. Yasmin commented: “Wow never thought of that! Thanks for sharing!”
However, Voodoo responded: “My alarm alerts me if the power has been cut off. No need for 17th century life hacks.” To which Talluweb sensibly retorted: “there were no freezers in the 17th century.”
How to do the trick
- Freeze water: Fill a cup or bowl with water and place it in the freezer until it’s solid.
- Add the coin: Place a 1p coin (or another small coin) on top of the frozen water.
- Return to freezer: Put the cup back in the freezer.
How to read the results
- Coin on top: The power stayed on, and the ice never melted significantly. Food is likely safe.
- Coin at the bottom: The power went out, the ice melted, and then refroze with the coin trapped at the bottom. Food may have thawed and refrozen, so it’s safer to throw it out.
Why it’s useful
This low-tech method helps you check for significant food spoilage during extended power outages, like during storms, without needing to open the freezer and let out cold air.
