Thanksgiving Safety Tips: Have A Safe, Stress-Free Holiday

Thanksgiving is a time to celebrate family, friends and, or course, food. Whether you're cooking at home or hitting the road, the Rhode Island Department of Health recommends taking steps to ensure a safe, healthy holiday dinner.

When it comes to cooking Thanksgiving dinner, there are a lot of moving parts, which means that remembering food safety is key. Proper food preparation, handling and cooking will keep prevent cross-contamination and food-borne illness.

When cooking, start with the basics. Always wash hands thoroughly before and after cooking, especially when handling raw meat. Clean countertops, cutting boards, knives and any other utensils that come into contact with raw turkey with warm, soapy water, and use separate cutting boards for raw meat whenever possible. Also, keep all cooked, ready-to-eat foods away from raw meat and their juices.

To prevent food-borne illness, always cook turkeys until the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees. Check the temperature with a food thermometer in the thickest part of the meat. Never eat stuffing cooked inside the turkey, as it may not have reached a safe temperature. Instead, cook stuffing separately.

Once dinner is over, finish carving and deboning the turkey quickly to cool it more quickly in the refrigerator.

To stay healthy on Thanksgiving, the department encourages Rhode Islanders to follow these guidelines to avoid excess calories and avoid stress:

• Eat smaller portions
• Avoid sugary drinks by drinking water
• Try not to fill up on snacks before the big Thanksgiving meal
• Drink alcohol in moderation
• If drinking, always have a designated driver
• Give yourself a break if you feel overwhelmed by stress
• Avoid overwhelming yourself with too many extra obligations, especially if you're already busy
• Interact with family and friends and put aside phones and television for the day
• Remember the reason for the holiday: remind yourself what you're thankful for this year