How long does it take to thaw a turkey for Thanksgiving?

Thawing times vary by turkey weight, ranging from 1-6 days in the refrigerator depending on size, with larger turkeys requiring more time.

What are the four main food safety steps recommended by experts?

The four key food safety steps are to separate raw and cooked foods, clean all surfaces and hands, cook foods to the proper temperature, and chill leftovers quickly.

What is the safe internal temperature for cooking a Thanksgiving turkey?

A Thanksgiving turkey should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure it is safe to eat.

Home / Health / Food Safety Secrets: Avoid Holiday Sickness

Food Safety Secrets: Avoid Holiday Sickness

25 Nov, 2025

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Summary

Properly thaw turkeys in the refrigerator based on weight to prevent contamination.
Follow four key food safety steps: separate, clean, cook, and chill.
Cook turkey to 165°F and chill leftovers within two hours to prevent illness.

Food Safety Secrets: Avoid Holiday Sickness

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, ensuring food safety is paramount to protect guests from foodborne illnesses. The CDC reports millions of sicknesses annually, highlighting the importance of proper food handling.

Key recommendations include thawing frozen turkeys in the refrigerator, with specific timelines based on weight to prevent cross-contamination. Experts emphasize the "separate, clean, cook, and chill" approach for all holiday food preparation.

This means keeping raw meats apart from other items, washing hands and surfaces frequently, cooking foods to safe internal temperatures (like 165°F for turkey), and refrigerating leftovers within two hours to inhibit bacterial growth.

Disclaimer: This story has been auto-aggregated and auto-summarised by a computer program. This story has not been edited or created by the Feedzop team.