Here's a handy hint for the storm season that I'd never heard before.

[Arkansas Granny]

As Sheila Pulanco Russell, from North Carolina, explained in her post, all you need for this trick is a quarter and cup of water. Put the water in the freezer until it's frozen solid. Then, take it out and put a quarter on top of the ice. Return the cup — with the quarter — back to the freezer.

All of that may seem pointless, but there's a reason this trick resurfaces every storm season. When you return, if you find the quarter has moved to the bottom of the cup, then you'll know your food was unrefrigerated while you were gone and it's no longer safe to eat.

Found the quarter in the middle? The food is likely still OK, but, as Russell advised, "If you don't feel good about your food, just throw it out."

Where you ideally want the quarter to be is exactly where you left it — on the top. That means your freezer's contents stayed frozen the entire time. Genius, right?

[Raven]

1. Wonderful tip! I've always

worried about the food in that freezer at my cabin when I'm not there. Thanks for posting this.

[gristy]

2. good idea!

This year for the first time when I am away for a while I simply put an ice cube on a plate in my freezer. If it's still a cube when I get back (though maybe smaller, what with sublimation and all), then I'm good to go!

[pangaia]

3. Why wold one need to do this to know if the food in the fridge is still 'good?'

Look at it, smell it, taste a tad..

[Arkansas Granny]

6. You might not be able to tell if food has thawed and then re frozen.

[ThoughtCriminal]

4. From experience - the cup needs a lid

I use a jar. An open cup of ice will evaporate due to sublimation. If you ever had icecube trays in the freezer that didn't get used and refilled for a while, you may notice that the ice gets thin and even disappears over time.

[Mars and Minerva]

5. I have a generator...

but it pays to be double safe.

[samnsara]

7. this is why i wont eat food from the dollar store :(

...who knows how many hours it sat on the hot loading dock....