Thanksgiving Food Safety
Courtney Carter
/ Categories: WELLNESS, 2024

Thanksgiving Food Safety

As you pull together the menu for next week’s Thanksgiving meal, it's crucial to prioritize food safety to ensure a memorable and illness-free celebration. Proper handling, preparation, and storage techniques will help ensure a worry-free feast that gets remembered for all the right reasons.

Here’s what you need to know:

Thawing

Proper thawing is essential for food safety. The safest method is to thaw your turkey in the refrigerator.

  • Thaw your turkey in the refrigerator.

    • Keep your turkey in its original wrapping and place it in a container before putting it in the refrigerator to prevent turkey juice from dripping on other food.

    • Allow about 24 hours of thawing for each 4 to 5 pounds of turkey.

    • A turkey thawed in the refrigerator can remain in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days before cooking.

  • Thaw your turkey in cold water.

    • Be sure your turkey is in a leakproof plastic bag before you place it in the sink.

      • The bag will prevent the turkey juice from spreading in the kitchen.

      • The bag also will prevent the turkey from absorbing water, which could make your cooked turkey runny.

    • Completely cover your turkey with cold tap water.

    • Change the water every 30 minutes.

    • Allow about 30 minutes of thawing for each pound of turkey.

    • A turkey thawed in cold water must be cooked immediately after thawing.

  • Thaw your turkey in the microwave.

    • Follow the microwave manufacturer’s instructions for thawing your turkey.

    • A turkey thawed in the microwave must be cooked immediately after thawing.

Never thaw your turkey by leaving it out on the counter. A turkey must thaw at a safe temperature. When a turkey stays out at room temperature for more than 2 hours, its temperature becomes unsafe even if the center is still frozen. Germs can grow rapidly in the “danger zone” between 40°F and 140°F.

Get more information about thawing turkeys.

Preparation

Contrary to popular belief, washing your turkey before cooking is not recommended. This practice can spread bacteria up to three feet away, increasing the risk of cross-contamination.

Instead, focus on proper cooking to eliminate harmful pathogens.

Cooking

To ensure your turkey is thoroughly cooked:

  • Set your oven temperature to at least 325°F.

  • Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature in three locations: the innermost part of the thigh, the innermost part of the wing, and the thickest part of the breast.

  • The turkey is safe to eat when all three locations reach 165°F.

Cross-Contamination Prevention

Avoid spreading bacteria by using separate cutting boards, plates, and utensils for raw turkey and ready-to-eat foods.

Clean and sanitize all surfaces that have come in contact with raw poultry, including countertops, sinks, and utensils.

Stuffing Safety

For optimal safety, cook stuffing separately in a baking dish rather than inside the turkey.

If you choose to stuff your turkey, follow these guidelines:

  • Prepare wet and dry ingredients separately and refrigerate until ready to use.

  • Mix ingredients just before filling the turkey cavity.

  • Stuff the turkey loosely, using about 3/4 cup of stuffing per pound.

  • Cook the stuffed turkey immediately in an oven set no lower than 325°F.

Leftover Management

Proper handling of leftovers is crucial to prevent foodborne illness:

  • Refrigerate leftovers within two hours of cooking.

  • Store food in shallow containers to promote rapid cooling.

  • Consume refrigerated leftovers within 3-4 days.

  • For longer storage, freeze leftovers in airtight containers or freezer bags.

Additional Safety Tips

  • Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before, during, and after food preparation.

  • Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of all dishes, including casseroles and reheated items.

  • Keep hot foods hot (above 140°F) and cold foods cold (below 40°F) to avoid the "danger zone" where bacteria multiply rapidly.

  • If you're unsure about the safety of a food item, remember the adage: "When in doubt, throw it out.”

By following these guidelines, you can feel confident you’re sharing a savory and savory meal for all your guests.  

For additional tips on preparing and roasting a turkey—including a roasting time calculator—visit the FDA Turkey Basics website.

 

Russell Carrier is the nutrition and dinning kitchen manager at Southwestern Vermont Medical Center

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SVMC Creates Virtual Waiting Room to Encourage Distancing

BENNINGTON, VT—May 29, 2020—Starting Monday, many people who need in-person appointments at Southwestern Vermont Health Care's (SVHC) hospital and clinics will no longer need to use traditional waiting rooms. A virtual system created by the hospital allows patients to call 802-447-5000 when they arrive in the parking lot and receive a text message when their provider is ready to see them.

SVMC's outpatient and inpatient surgeries and diagnostic services, like those for imaging and laboratory work, have resumed with enhanced safety protocols per the directive of Governor Phil Scott. The health system's emergency department, ExpressCare, emergency surgical services, and most of its primary and specialty practices remained open during the pandemic.

"SVHC has provided safe, high-quality care throughout the pandemic." Said Thomas A. Dee, FACHE, Southwestern Vermont Health Care’s (SVHC) president and CEO. "Innovation has been an important part of providing care during these extraordinary times and this new program decreases the number of people in our waiting rooms and allows them to stay the recommended 6 feet apart or more."

In order to use the virtual waiting room, patients must be able to wait in their vehicle and have a charged cell phone with them. They will receive the virtual waiting room telephone number during their appointment-reminder telephone call. Signs outside the building and at the respiratory check-in stations inside the main hospital and medical office building entrances will also include the number to call.

Patients simply call the number when they arrive in the parking lot and wait in their cars. When the provider is ready to see them, they will receive a text message alert to indicate that they should come in.

"We love that we can use the same technology that most people carry with them to help people stay socially distanced," said Gail Balch, RN, who directs information technology at SVMC. "It's through innovations like this one that we are able to resume services safely and ensure patients receive the care they need."

Hospital and clinic staff anticipate that the new program will allow greater distance between people who must use traditional waiting rooms, including those who walked or took public transportation to their appointment and those who do not have a cell phone.

Additional safety protocols indicate that all patients should arrive to the hospital or clinic with their own cloth face covering. Face coverings must be worn over the mouth and nose for the entire duration of patients' visits. Patients should also come alone, unless they absolutely need assistance from a loved one.

For questions about how to resume or initiate elective care, call your primary care provider or the specialist directly. For a list of providers, visit svhealthcare.org/physician-directory.

Patients with cough or shortness of breath or any two of the following—fever, chills, muscle pain, headache, sore throat, or new loss of taste or smell—should contact their primary care provider or the COVID-19 Informational Hotline at 802-440-8844 before arriving to either their provider’s office or the hospital. For a detailed list of safety protocols, frequently asked questions, visitor guidelines, and COVID-19 information, visit svhealthcare.org.

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