Keep a Quarter in Your Freezer During Brutal Michigan Weather

Michigan weather can be brutal - not just in the winter - but at all times of the year. That's why keeping a quarter in your freezer just makes sense.

If you've lived in The Mitten State for more than a minute, you're aware of how volatile weather can be and how it can change quickly, sometimes even in just minutes. (We've assembled a collection of funny memes that illustrate just how wacky Michigan's weather can be.)

You also know that bad weather can mean power outages.

States With Chronic Power Outages

As we reported here, weather is a factor in most power outages. Texas is the US state reporting the greatest number of power outages over the last two decades, while Michigan comes in second. California, North Carolina, and Pennsylvania round out the top five.

As a lifelong Michigan resident, I've invested in a power-out alarm that notifies me via text when the juice to our house is cut. We also have freezer alarms that notify us if the temperature in either of our freezers gets above a certain threshold.

Why Should Michigan Residents Put a Quarter in the Freezer?

Putting a quarter in your freezer(s) has nothing to do with good luck. It's actually a quick and easy way to know if your power has been out or if your freezer has malfunctioned.

Here's the idea, thanks to 'Old Recipes That Stir Childhood Memories.'

Fill a cup with water and put it in the freezer. After it's frozen solid, put a quarter on top of the ice.

Now if you come home from a vacation and see that the quarter has sunk to the bottom of the cup, you'll know that either the power was out, or the freezer wasn't running for long enough for the ice to thaw.

This is a good indication that the food in your freezer has thawed and needs to go straight into the trash.