Americans have been celebrating Thanksgiving for years. In 1863 President Abraham Lincoln officially declared the last Thursday in November Thanksgiving Day. In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt changed it to the third Thursday in November as Thanksgiving Day. After two years of controversy surrounding his decision, President Roosevelt officially changed it back to the fourth Thursday in November. It is a day set aside to give thanks for what we have. 

The Thanksgiving holiday is generally celebrated with watching on TV parades and football along with a turkey dinner complete with lots of side dishes and desserts. 

As we make our plans to gather around the table to celebrate next Thursday, here are some tips and guidelines for keeping your holiday safe for everyone. 

Food safety per the USDA:

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

  • Avoid cross contamination by using separate cutting boards for raw meat and for produce. 

  • Clean and sanitize any surfaces (including your sink) that come in contact with the raw turkey. 

  • Thaw your turkey safely either in your refrigerator (allow 24 hours for every four pounds of turkey) or cold water thawing (submerge turkey in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes until thawed, then cook immediately).

  • Make sure your turkey is cooked through completely. An internal temperature of 165 degrees should be reached. Place the thermometer into the thickest part of the breast, the innermost part of the wing and the innermost part of the thigh to check temperature. 

  • The USDA recommends against filling the turkey’s cavity with stuffing as this often leads to the growth of bacteria. Instead leave it empty or cut up apples and oranges to stuff into the bird to help give a little more flavor. Then toss the fruit after cooking the turkey. 

  • Don’t let food sit out too long. Refrigerate all perishable foods within two hours of being cooked. After two hours, bacteria can cause food to become unsafe. Throw out all foods that have been sitting out for more than two hours. Keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. 

  • Leftovers should be stored in shallow containers in the refrigerator. They are safe to eat up to four days afterwards. 

For any questions regarding food safety, contact the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 1-888-674-6854 from 9am-5pm, CST. The hotline will be open on Thanksgiving Day from 7am-1pm.

Pet Safety

While it may be tempting to let Fido have some table scraps, keep in mind that there are some foods that dogs (and cats) should not eat as it can harm them. According to Veterinarians.org those foods are:

  • Raw bread dough. This can be life threatening as the dough will swell in the belly and can cause bowel obstruction or bloat the stomach. 

  • Raw turkey, carcasses or skin. Small pieces of bone can cause tears in the intestinal tract or other injuries. Turkey skin is very fatty, making it hard for pets to digest it. The skin can cause pancreatitis in your pet.

  • Garlic, onions, chives and leeks can cause toxicity in pets. Over time they can cause damage to their red blood cells among other things. 

  • Artificial sweeteners and Xylitol are very toxic to animals. 

  • Pumpkin pie can cause an upset stomach due to the high sugar and spices. Nutmeg is toxic to pets. 

  • Nuts can cause a choking hazard for small dogs. Some nuts can cause digestive issues and possibly kidney failure.

  • Ham and any high sodium meats can lead to increased blood pressure.

  • Chocolate is never good for pets. The darker the chocolate, the more toxic it is for pets. 

Deep Frying Turkey

We’ve all seen the videos of someone trying to deep fry a turkey and the huge fireball that happens at some point in the process. Here are a few tips to avoid being in the next video of a deep fryer fireball!

  • Keep your deep fryer away from the house and garage–at least 10 feet or more. 

  • Make sure the fryer is on level ground. 

  • Only use a thawed, dry turkey.

  • Protect yourself when putting the turkey in the fryer. Wear thick clothing, an apron, oven mitts and safety goggles.

  • Never leave the fryer unattended.

  • Turn off the burner when lowering the turkey into the fryer. Turn it back on once the turkey is in the fryer.

  • Keep children and pets away from the fryer.

 

 

 

We at New Directions Real Estate wish you all a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

This content is not the product of the National Association of REALTORS®, and may not reflect NAR's viewpoint or position on these topics and NAR does not verify the accuracy of the content.