The Simple Freezer Coin Trick That Could Save You From Food Poisoning

I recently went on a week-long vacation and came home to a blinking microwave clock. That usually only means one thing: the power went out while I was gone.

Normally, I would just reset the clock and go about my day. But then I looked at my freezer full of expensive meats, frozen dinners, and ice cream. Did the power go out for ten minutes, or did it go out for three days?

If the power was out for days, everything in the freezer would have completely thawed, spoiled, and then refrozen when the power came back on. Looking at the food, it all seemed perfectly solid. But eating refrozen, spoiled food is a huge risk for severe food poisoning. I ended up throwing hundreds of dollars of food into the trash just to be safe.

I was telling this frustrating story to my neighbor, and she looked at me like I was crazy. She asked me if I had never heard of the freezer coin trick. I had not, but it is so genius and simple that I will never leave for a trip without doing it again.

What is the Freezer Coin Trick?

The freezer coin trick is a foolproof, practically free method to monitor the temperature inside your freezer while you are away from home. It gives you immediate visual proof of whether your food completely thawed out or if it stayed safely frozen during a power outage.

All you need is a clear container, some tap water, and a single coin (a quarter works great).

Here is exactly how to set it up before your next trip.

1. Freeze a Cup of Water

Take a small, clear container. A small plastic Tupperware container or even a heavy-duty clear plastic cup works perfectly. Fill it up with normal tap water, leaving a little room at the top for the ice to expand.

Place the container into your freezer and leave it there overnight until it is completely frozen solid.

2. Place a Coin on Top

Once the water is completely frozen, take a clean coin and place it flat right on top of the solid ice.

Leave the cup right there in the freezer, shut the door, and go enjoy your vacation!

3. Read the Results When You Get Home

When you get back from your trip, open the freezer and look closely at your cup. The position of the coin tells you exactly what happened to your freezer while you were gone.

• The coin is still on top: This means your freezer stayed perfectly cold. Even if the power flickered, it wasn't off long enough for the ice (and your food) to thaw. Your food is safe to eat.
• The coin is frozen in the middle of the ice: The power was off for a significant amount of time. The ice partially melted, allowing the coin to sink, but then refroze. You should carefully inspect your food.
• The coin is at the very bottom of the cup: This is the danger zone. The power was out long enough for the entire cup of ice to completely melt into liquid water, letting the coin sink all the way to the bottom. This means your freezer completely thawed out. You need to throw the food away immediately.

Peace of Mind for Pennies

I cannot believe I went my whole adult life without knowing this simple trick. It costs exactly 25 cents to set up, and it completely eliminates the guessing game when you come home to a blinking stove clock.

Before you pack your bags for your next holiday, spend two minutes setting up the freezer coin trick. It will give you total peace of mind and potentially save you from a very unpleasant bout of food poisoning!