9 Thanksgiving Food Safety Tips You Can't Afford To Ignore

Unsafe Thanksgiving food prep, cooking and storing can up your risk of getting sick. (Photo by Getty Images)

The holidays are a time for fun, family and food. They’re not the time you want to get sick to your stomach — literally.

There’s a difference between feeling kind of ill from over-doing it at mealtime, and being one of the estimated 48 million Americans who get sick from contaminated food annually. In fact, more than 128,000 people are hospitalized for these foodborne illnesses and 3,000 actually die from them each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). These are infections caused by an array of bacteria including salmonella, E. coli and listeria, among others.

So whether you’re cooking this year’s holiday feast or just devouring it, there are several measures you can take to keep dinner safe for everyone.

Keep your bird by itself.

Your grocery cart fills up fast while shopping for Thursday’s feast, but it’s important to give your bird some room of its own. If it isn’t sealed in plastic, the turkey’s juices may seep out and spread harmful bacteria to foods you’re not going to cook. But even a sealed bird doesn’t mean you’re germ-free. “The packaging can get contaminated at the processing plant when the raw turkeys come down a conveyor belt to be bagged,” explains Philip Tierno, Jr., Ph.D., a professor of microbiology and pathology at the New York University School of Medicine and author of The Secret Life of Germs. Put all turkeys — fresh, frozen, sealed or unsealed — in a plastic or paper bag and away from other foods in your cart. And quarantine your fruits and veggies: “Produce can contain pathogens like E. coli, so keep it away from other items,” adds Tierno.

Unpack your groceries ASAP.

Put your turkey and meats in the refrigerator the second you get home. Even a short time at room temperature can lead to bacterial growth. “Generally speaking, harmful things like salmonella, among others, double their population every 20 minutes,” explains Tierno. In the fridge, keep raw eggs, turkey and meat in plastic bags and give them a shelf of their own, if possible. Then, have another for fruit, veggies and salads. If you use your own recyclable bags to grocery shop for Thanksgiving goodies, toss the bags in the washing machine with hot water and (if it won’t ruin your bag) bacteria-busting bleach.

Related: How to Stay Healthy While Traveling

Clean — really clean — while you cook.

In your rush to get that turkey in the oven, you might forgo a few things — but soaping up shouldn’t be one of them. Before and after handling a raw turkey, wash your hands with warm water for the amount of time it takes to go through at least two rounds of the “Happy Birthday” song. After using your cutting board for meat, rinse it with soap and hot water, and then put it in a solution made up of 1 ounce chlorine bleach and one quart of water. Let it sit for 3 to 5 minutes before rinsing with water. “This effectively — and cheaply — kills almost all harmful organisms,” explains Tierno (even anthrax spores, not that you’ll find those in your holiday kitchen.) Use a sponge dipped in this solution to wipe countertops and any drawer or refrigerator handles that you touched while prepping your turkey. “Try to retrace your steps before moving onto the next dish,” says Tierno.

Designate cutting boards and kitchen tools.

(Photo by Davide Illini/Stocksy)

Even if you are diligent about deep-cleaning your cutting boards, it’s still best to designate one for produce and another for meat. “Or at least always use one side of a cutting board for veggies and the other for meat, something you can designate by marking one side with a ‘V’ and the other with an ‘M,’” suggests Tierno. “This significantly reduces potential contamination.” If possible, also designate a different knife for meat and produce, or wash yours with the chlorine solution when you switch from meat prep to other food prep.

Bathe your bird in brine.

Harmful organisms grow faster on the protein and fat of a raw turkey than on a frozen one. But that doesn’t make the latter a bacteria-free zone. “In either case, the best way to get rid of any potentially harmful organisms is to put your turkey in a large pot in a brine solution,” explains Tierno. “Most bacteria don’t survive in brine.” It’s best if you can do this overnight (not to mention it’s a good place to thaw your turkey), but even an hour or so will banish bacteria.  Added bonus? Brining will make your turkey taste better.

Defrost in the fridge.

Thawing your bird on the counter may seem like no big deal, but it’s actually another food safety no-no. “At room temperature, harmful bacteria can grow, but this slows down if it’s in the cold,” says Tierno, who also suggests double-brown-bagging your turkey before popping it in the fridge to thaw. Just give yourself enough time because it can take three to four days for a larger turkey —20 pounds or more — to fully defrost.

Related: How to Have a Paleo Thanksgiving

Make sure your turkey’s the right temp.

Not only will a raw turkey look bad on your Thanksgiving table, but it can also make you and your guests sick. The key is to make sure it’s cooked all the way through since high heat kills bacteria. The CDC suggests using a food thermometer on the innermost part of the thigh and the thickest part of the breast to check the bird’s internal temperature. Also, check the temperature of any stuffing you’re cooking inside your turkey. If the thermometer reads 165° F, dinner is served. If it doesn’t, keep on cooking.

Germ-proof the buffet.

(Photo by Getty Images)

Foods like crackers and chips can be put out at anytime, but appetizers that contain dairy (like cheese, dips and sandwiches) can spoil. So wait until your guests arrive before you set those out. And instead of putting all of one dish — say, stuffing — out at one time, divide it into smaller portions. Place one on the buffet and the rest in the fridge (for foods served cold) or oven (for those served hot). When it’s time to replenish, use a new serving platter rather than adding to the old one, recommends the U.S. Department of Agriculture, because the old one may be contaminated from your guests’ hands and the bacteria that multiply when food sits at room temperature. Lastly, place two serving utensils in each dish. “This way if a guest forgets to put one back, no one uses their own personal — and potentially germy — utensil to serve themselves food,” Tierno says. “Double-dipping is never a good idea.”

Handle leftovers with care.

After two hours, put away any food that’s still sitting on the table. If you take leftovers from your host, put them on ice for long trips and in the fridge as soon as you get home. When it’s time for a post-Thanksgiving nibble, don’t just tuck into cold food. Heat it up. “This kills whatever has grown while the leftovers were in the fridge and helps them last longer,” explains Tierno. Also, take your portion, put it on a plate and put the rest back in the fridge rather than leaving it on the counter where bacteria can multiply. Eat leftovers within three to four days unless a dish looks or smells funky. In that case, it’s time to toss your Thanksgiving goodies.

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