How do you know if the food in your fridge is safe to eat after you return home?
We all have been there from time to time. Either you leave home for vacation or even an emergency situation.
There is a mental checklist that we all go through. Is the stove off? Are the windows all closed?
Are the plants watered?
But we often forget about the contents of our freezer, as it is dangerous for you and your families health to consume food that is at room temperature for more than four hours.
However, there are five easy tips you can use in a pinch before you hit the road to make sure your food is safe to eat in case of a power outage.
5 Ways to Know If Food is Safe to Eat During a Power Outage
Read on to learn more about simple freezer tricks you can use on your next trip.
1. The Coin Trick
This is probably the most popular method on this list. The premise is simple, you fill up a cup of water and freeze it.
Once the water is frozen, put a coin on top of it and place it back in the freezer. If the coin has sunk to the bottom after you return, then it is best to throw out the food in there.
2. The Water Bottle Trick
An easy peasy trick if you already keep water bottles in your freezer, to begin with. Take a water bottle and freeze it on its side. Then, once frozen, rotate it 180 degrees so that the ice is opposite to the surface of the freezer.
If there is a power outage, you will know because the ice will be on the other side once you get home.
3. The Ice Cube Trick
This tip is also pretty simple tip involving a plastic bag and a handful of ice cubes from your ice cube tray.
Place a few cubes into a plastic bag, and then stick it into the freezer. Upon your return, check the bag to see if the cubes have flattened due to refreezing and a power outage. Replace the food if this is the case.
4. The Ice Pop Trick
The perfect option if you have kids who frequently eat ice pops, especially in the hot summer months.
Lay a frozen ice pop or two over another object or box in the freezer. After you return, check the ends to see if they have folded over the object. If they have, you will know that they turned to liquid while you were away.
5. The Trash Bag Cleanup Trick
In the event that an outage is likely, such as the case during hurricane season, it is a good idea to put all the food from the freezer into trash bags before you leave so that you can easily throw out everything if compromised.
This tip is best paired with another above so that you can confirm that the food is no longer safe to eat.
Be in the Know After a Power Outage
It is important to understand the dangers electric outages pose for your family in terms of food.
In a time when foodborne illness is still a problem, consider these simple tips to protect your family and have a worry-free return.
