Thanksgiving Safety: Three Tips For Safe Cooking

We’ve now entered the time of year when food becomes a priority and kitchens show what they’re made of. With the holidays beckoning, socializing is unavoidable and cooking for 30 or more becomes the norm. How do you keep yourself and your kitchen safe? Follows these tips:

Clean, Clean, Clean

Sounds commonsensical, but in the madness that comes from cooking for a large group of people, it’s easy to overlook the simple things. Clean up grease. If there’s an open flame, grease will be the first thing that catches fire. Same thing for bits of stuffing that’s fallen into the burners or wooden spoon resting in an empty pot on the stove. Wipe down water so that it doesn’t spread into any of the electrical outlets or drip off counters and cause someone to fall.

Keep Watch

Children are very curious when it comes to the kitchen. Knobs on stoves are appealing, the dishwasher is an adventure—accident—waiting to happen and oven doors become entrances to secret gardens. If you are unable to keep proper watch of your children in the kitchen, it’s best to make sure they can’t enter. Similarly, keep animals out of the kitchen. Dogs can jump onto tables and eat your Thanksgiving feast just as easily as cats can jump onto counters and knock off all of the items. Make sure the kitchen is occupied only by those who are using it for its intended purpose. A baby gate is a safe and affordable option to make sure both children and animals can’t enter.

Check Food

Checking on food regularly not only makes sure that you don’t over or under cook something, but it’s also a great way to make sure no accidents happen. House fires on Thanksgiving are very common. Not surprising since most house fires start in the kitchen. Checking on the food regularly, even a slow cooking turkey, can help avoid house fires or accidents of any kind. Make sure there is always someone in the kitchen to keep an eye on everything.

Although Thanksgiving is a time of family, friends and fun, it’s also a time to be extra careful. Keep your space clean, make sure no one enters or fiddles with anything in the kitchen unless they’re the ones cooking, and always check the food. If you want to be as prepared as possible, make sure that you are insured. Whether you own or rent, having renters insurance can make a world of difference. You never know when a disaster might hit and the holiday season should be filled with happiness not worry.