Why you should always put a coin in the freezer before you leave home

A Genius Food Safety Hack for Power Outages: The One Cup Trick
Have you ever returned home after a trip and noticed your digital clocks blinking, signaling a power outage? If so, you’ve probably wondered: Did my freezer stay cold enough to keep my food safe?
Instead of guessing, there’s a simple yet brilliant trick that can help you determine whether your frozen food is still safe to eat. It’s called The One Cup Method, a clever hack that gained widespread attention after being shared by Sheila Pulanco Russell during Hurricane Matthew in 2016.
The One Cup Method: A Foolproof Test for Food Safety
This method requires just three household items:
✔ A cup
✔ A coin (quarter)
✔ Some tap water
How It Works:
1️⃣ Fill a cup with water and place it in your freezer.
2️⃣ Let the water freeze solid.
3️⃣ Once frozen, place a quarter on top of the ice.
4️⃣ Leave the cup in your freezer while you’re away or during a power outage.
How to Read the Results:
✅ Quarter Still on Top → Your food remained frozen the entire time. It’s safe to eat.
⚠ Quarter in the Middle → The freezer partially thawed and refroze. Be cautious and check each item before consuming.
❌ Quarter at the Bottom → The freezer completely thawed, meaning your food is unsafe and should be discarded.
Why This Trick Works
When a power outage occurs, your freezer can slowly start defrosting. If power returns before you notice, your food may have refrozen, making it impossible to tell if it was exposed to unsafe temperatures. The One Cup Method serves as a visual indicator of whether the temperature dropped long enough to allow food to spoil.
A Simple Way to Prevent Food Waste & Save Money
Instead of throwing out potentially safe food or, worse, eating something that could make you sick, this method gives you a clear answer.
💡 Pro Tip: Keep the cup in your freezer at all times so you’re always prepared for unexpected outages.
Share This Clever Trick!
Now that you know The One Cup Method, share it with friends and family to help them save money and prevent foodborne illness. It’s a quick, easy, and effective way to ensure food safety during power outages or extended trips away from home.