When we return from a long vacation, or our homes are threatened by a storm, the last thing we have on our minds is the food in the fridge. Nevertheless, it’s far from pleasant to return home to a refrigerator full of spoiled food.
Luckily, there’s a great trick that you can employ in order to preserve everything in your fridge, and prevent you from having to choose what to keep and what to throw out. All you need is a mug, a quarter (or any other coin), and some tap water!
The trick, which was initially shared on Facebook by a certain Sheila Pulanco Russell, is called the One Cup Tip. All it entails is putting a cup of water in the freezer, freezing it solid, and then placing a quarter on top of it and leaving it in the freezer.
Although this trick might seem bizarre, there’s very good reason for putting the quarter on top of the frozen water. When you return home from an extended period away, have a look in your freezer and see if the quarter is still on top of the ice, or if it has dropped to the bottom of the cup.
If it’s the latter result, it means that your food has defrosted entirely, and needs throwing out. On the other hand, if the quarter is still on top of the cup or in the middle, your food may still be ok. You could also choose to leave one in your freezer constantly, as this will tell you if your home lost power when you were out.
Regardless of where the quarter is in the cup, if you don’t feel good about the food, just throw it. When dealing with food, the most important thing is for you to be safe.
Content and image source: Lifehacker
