Plan Ahead for a Safe Thanksgiving
Another Thanksgiving is fast approaching. As you plan menus, spruce up the house, and finalize your guest list, take some time to think about these simple safety tips to keep mishaps to a minimum.Keep Children Out of Harm’s WayThanksgiving is all about family, which often means curious children near the kitchen. Make sure that all pot and pan handles are pointed away from the stove and all sharp objects like knives are out of reach and away from the edges of counters. If the kids want to get involved in preparation, give them tasks outside of the kitchen such as setting the table or coloring place cards for guests.
Fire Prevention in Your Thanksgiving Kitchen
Thanksgiving is the peak day for home cooking fires. If you plan on deep-frying a turkey, only use the fryer outside, not in the house or garage. The cooking oil used in many fryers is extremely hot and can cause serious burns. The pot and lids can also be very hot. Exercise extreme caution.
Even if you do your cooking on a traditional stove, you need to be vigilant about fire prevention. Don’t leave items unattended, even for brief periods of time. Especially with the long hours it takes to cook your Thanksgiving bird, someone needs to stay in the home when the oven is on to check frequently.
Avoid Contamination by Following Food Safety Guidelines
The main event at most Thanksgiving feasts, the turkey, is a delicious family favorite. But cooking the large bird requires diligence to avoid contamination. Thaw your turkey in the fridge in its original packaging, not on the countertop. If you choose to use the microwave, you must cook the bird immediately afterwards.
Follow guidelines for weight and temperature for cooking, but don’t rely on guesswork to make sure that your turkey is cooked all the way through. Invest in a meat thermometer and insert it at various spots in the bird to make sure that it is entirely cooked to a minimum of 165°.
Thanksgiving is a time for family and friends to gather and celebrate what they’re grateful for. Following these safety tips can ensure that the safety of your loved ones and your home remain one of the things you’re thankful for.
The holiday season is notorious for accidents. If someone’s negligence has caused harm to you or your loved ones, the personal injury experts at Panter, Panter & Sampedro can help you achieve restitution.
Sources:
How to Safely Celebrate this Thanksgiving, Jaime Schaefer-Wilson, 25 Nov 2014
Help prevent a turkey fryer fire! http://usfa.fema.gov
