Anyone going away this Christmas is being told to use a 1p trick before they leave home - to make sure their food in the fridge will be edible when they return. If you've gone away to see family or for a much-needed break there is a potential problem which could mean serious health implications on your return.
While you are away it's possible that your home suffered a power cut, meaning anything which is in the fridge or freeze could be inedible. But by the time you come back it could be back on again and you'd be none the wiser.
On Instagram cookistwow has this suggestion: "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 realise 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 full freezer can hold cold up to 48 hours (if unopened), but once things reach room temperature, especially meat, seafood, or dairy, it's safer to throw them out."
An alternative would be to put the 1p coin on the top of an ice cube maker and see if it's sunk once you get back. Followers appreciated the advice. Yasmin said: "Wow never thought of that! Thanks for sharing!"
However Voodoo replied: "My alarm alerts me if the power has been cut off. No need for 17th century life hacks." Talluweb made the reasonable response: "there were no freezers in the 17th century."
How to do the trickThis 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.
