Thanksgiving Safety Tips

Thanksgiving is a wonderful time of year, and it’s even more fun when everyone is safe.

Prevent Food Poisoning

When preparing food for family and friends, it’s important to keep food fresh and safe to eat. By following these food handling guidelines, you can prevent common causes of food poisoning.

§ Keep produce separate from meat, poultry, and eggs in your shopping cart and in your grocery bags.

§ Store and serve food at the right temperature. Food should be stored below 40 degrees Fahrenheit and cooked to the proper internal temperature. Remember to refrigerate food within two hours of purchase of preparation and to always thaw food safely in the refrigerator, in a cold-water bath, or in the microwave. 

§ Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds before preparing or serving food.

§ Wash utensils, cutting boards and counters that have touched uncooked or under-cooked meat, poultry, seafood, eggs or flour before using them on anything that will be served raw.

Stay Safe While Cooking

The kitchen is the heart of Thanksgiving, but it’s also a common place for accidents to occur.  Cooking fires in residential homes occur more often on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year.

Keep safety front and center and follow these guidelines when cooking:

§ Never leave your pan unattended.

§ Keep a fire extinguisher on hand.

§ Keep flammable items away from the stove.

§ Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove so no one can bump them or pull them over.

§ Keep a pan lid or baking sheet nearby so you can cover the pan if it catches on fire.