Happy Thanksgiving
November 23, 2023
Best wishes on this national holiday for gratitude and giving thanks. I hope you’re able to join with family or friends to celebrate.
Ninety-seven percent of Americans say they’ll be celebrating Thanksgiving, with 26 percent saying they’ll be hosting, according to WalletHub.com, a personal finance website. About 40 million Thanksgiving meals will include a turkey being served.
By now, you’re already having or have had your Thanksgiving dinner or the turkey’s in the oven. Hopefully, you didn’t thaw your turkey on the counter so you have food safety there.
Here are tips for storing Thanksgiving dinner food from the U.S. Department of Agriculture:
- Remember the two-hour rule: Refrigerate perishable items within two hours of coming out of the oven or refrigerator. After two hours, perishable food enters the “Danger Zone” between 40 F and 140 F, where bacteria can multiply quickly and cause food to become unsafe. Perishable food should be discarded if left out for longer than two hours, so refrigerate or freeze items to prevent food waste.
- Use shallow containers: After you break down your Thanksgiving meal into smaller portions, store leftover food in shallow containers in the refrigerator until the Monday after Thanksgiving, or in the freezer for later use.
- Freeze or consume within four days: Use the Monday after Thanksgiving as a reminder that it is the last day you can safely eat leftovers. If you want to keep leftovers longer, freeze them within that four-day period. Frozen food stays safe indefinitely, though the quality may decrease over time. The best quality if eaten within six months.
- Reheat to 165 F: Make sure your reheated leftovers reach 165 F as measured with a food thermometer. Reheat sauces, soups, and gravies safely by bringing them to a rolling boil.
- Microwave food safely: When reheating in the microwave, cover and rotate the food for even heating. Arrange food items evenly in a covered microwave safe glass or ceramic dish and add some liquid, if needed. Because microwaves have cold spots, check the internal temperature of the food in several places with a food thermometer after allowing a resting time.
Best wishes on Thanksgiving. I hope you have a great day.
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