DDPHE Blog: Holiday Food Safety Tips

Published on November 22, 2024

As the holidays quickly approach, the Denver Department of Public Health & Environment offers tips to help you taste the magic of the season and avoid foodborne illness this year.

In the hustle and bustle of the year-end festivities, it is easy to overlook the basics. Here are some easy ways to make sure your holiday meal gets a round of applause and not a round of food poisoning.

Keep it clean

It is important to ensure that the food preparation area stays clean. That starts with handwashing. Be sure to wash your hands with soap and water, for at least 20 seconds, before and after handling food.

As you work, keep all surfaces and utensils clean. To avoid cross-contamination, prepare food in separate areas. Keep raw meet away from vegetables or other uncooked food. Never handle cooked at raw food at the same time.

And we know we said keep it clean, but please don't wash the turkey. That spreads potential bacteria and can cause cross-contamination. Besides, cooking it to the right temperature kills any bacteria.

Defrost your bird

More than likely, that turkey bought at the supermarket is going to be frozen. That means you need to purchase it early enough to allow adequate time for thawing. There are three safe ways to defrost a turkey:

1. In the refrigerator-the safest way to thaw a frozen turkey is on the bottom shelf in the fridge. It will defrost at a consistent, safe temperature. Placing it on the bottom shelf helps reduce cross-contamination of other foods as it thaws. Remember, every 5 pounds of meat needs one day to thaw. So, a 14-pound turkey will need at least three days to thaw completely.
2. Soaking in cold water-submerge the bird in its original wrapper in cold tap water, adding new cold water about every 30 minutes. When defrosting this way, every pound needs 30 minutes to thaw. So, a 14-pound turkey will need at least seven hours to thaw completely.
3. By microwave-ALWAYS follow the instructions in your owner's manual.

Cook immediately after thawing

Especially if you are using the second or third thawing methods above, you should cook that bird as soon as it is done. Don't thaw the turkey days ahead and then put it back in the refrigerator.

Cook that bird to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Don't rely on that little piece of plastic popping up to tell you it's done. Use a meat thermometer on the innermost part of the thigh and wing, as well as the thickets part of the breast, to ensure it's well-cooked.

Store leftovers properly

While preparing for and during serving, hot foods should be kept at 140 degrees or above. Cold foods should be kept at 40 degrees or below. Never let foods sit in the bacteria danger zone, between 40 and 140 degrees for more than two hours.

Leftovers should be refrigerated quickly. Again, no more than two hours after the food has been served. Storing food in shallow containers to allow more surface area exposure and quicker cooling.

You do have a limited window to enjoy those refrigerated leftovers though. Turkey leftovers are good in the fridge for up to four days. Casseroles and mashed potatoes can go up to five days. If you want them to last longer, put leftovers in the freezer, where they'll last indefinitely. But for best quality, eat within four months.

We hope these tips will help alleviate some stress and help you better prepare for that holiday meal. However, it's always better to be safe than sorry. You can call the pros at 1-888-674-6854 (USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline) with any cooking questions. The hotline is open Thanksgiving Day from 6:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m., Mountain Standard Time (MST).

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• Public Health & Environment