You quickly find out that there was a power outage during your absence, but you can’t really tell when or for how long. As a result, it is also impossible for you to tell how long the food in your freezer may have thawed, gone bad, and then been frozen again.
Following Hurricane Matthew’s 2016 devastation of portions of the United States, Sheila Pulanco Russell posted a thoughtful advice on her Facebook wall for anyone forced to leave their homes.
But this tip is helpful for anyone who will be away from home for an extended period of time and will ease your mind about whether the food in your freezer is still edible or needs to be thrown out right away.