The Magic Trio: A Mug, a Coin, and Tap Water – A Simple Solution for Power Outage Woes

Coming Home to a Flashing Digital Clock: An Indicator of a Power Outage

Have you ever returned from a holiday, business trip, or perhaps a family getaway, only to find your digital clocks displaying an incorrect time? It doesn’t take long to figure out that you experienced a power outage while you were away. However, pinpointing the exact time of the outage or its duration can prove to be a real challenge. This uncertainty makes it difficult to determine how long the food in your freezer may have thawed, potentially spoiling before refreezing.

During Hurricane Matthews, which hit parts of the United States in 2016, Sheila Pulanco Russell, an insightful woman, shared a handy trick on her Facebook page for those who were obliged to evacuate their homes. But this clever hack isn’t just applicable during evacuations – it’s a valuable tip to remember whenever you’re planning to be away from home for a considerable amount of time. This trick can alleviate concerns about the safety of your frozen food – and help you decide whether it’s safe to consume or better off being discarded.

The beauty of this trick lies in its simplicity and the use of three common household items: a mug, a coin, and some tap water.

In her Facebook post, which quickly accumulated hundreds of thousands of reactions and shares, Sheila details the method. She writes:

“If you’re evacuating from the coast, here’s a great tip that I came across. It’s known as the ‘one cup’ tip. Start by filling a cup with water and placing it in your freezer. Once the water is frozen solid, place a quarter on top and leave it in your freezer. Upon returning after the evacuation, this will indicate whether your food went completely bad and refroze, or if it remained frozen while you were gone.

“If the quarter has sunk to the bottom of the cup, that’s a sign that all the food defrosted and should be discarded. However, if the quarter is still at the top or in the middle of the cup, your food might be safe to eat. It’s a smart idea to keep this setup in your freezer at all times, so you have this trick to rely on should you lose power for any reason.

“When in doubt about your food’s safety, it’s best to throw it out. The key is to ensure everyone’s safety. Please SHARE this on your page.”

By applying Sheila’s simple yet effective ‘one cup’ tip, you can effortlessly ascertain the safety of your frozen food after a power outage. It’s indeed a handy hack worth sharing, so pass it on!