Nov. 21, 2024 | It’s Thanksgiving week, and like most Americans, you will likely be enjoying turkey along with all of the trimmings that typically accompany a holiday feast. It may interest you to know that the average American consumes between 3.150 and 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving Day. Sixty-eight percent of Americans will have turkey this Thursday, with the average cost of a 16-pound whole frozen turkey running $25.36. 47 percent of people will attend a Friendsgiving gathering this week. Most Americans favor white meat, which makes up about 70 percent of the turkey and has less fat and fewer calories than dark meat. Besides being a healthy lean substitute for high-fat beef, turkey is rich in zinc and niacin, which protects against cataracts. It’s also a good source of selenium, which acts as an antioxidant. If you’re having turkey but watching your calories, you may want to skip the skin, which adds 35 calories to a typical 3.5 ounce serving.

Nov. 21, 2024 | For those of you planning on cooking a turkey for Thanksgiving this week, it’s not too early to start thinking about the best way to prepare the poultry. If you choose to buy a frozen bird you may do so at any time, but make sure you have adequate storage space in your freezer. If you buy a fresh turkey, be sure you purchase it only one or two days before cooking. When it comes to thawing in the refrigerator, allow approximately 24 hours per 4 to 5 pounds of turkey. If you forget to thaw the turkey or don’t have room in the refrigerator for thawing, don’t panic. You can submerge the turkey in cold water and change the water every 30 minutes. Allow about 30 minutes defrosting time per pound of turkey. A turkey can be thawed in a microwave if it is not too large. Be sure to check the manufacturer’s instructions for the size turkey that will fit into your oven, the minutes per pound, and the power level to use. And cook it immediately after thawing.

Nov. 21, 2024 | Today is the day before Thanksgiving, a good time to make sure you have all of the key ingredients you need to prepare your holiday meal. Be sure you have all the equipment you will need, including a roasting pan large enough to hold your turkey and a food thermometer. Wet and dry stuffing ingredients can be prepared ahead of time and refrigerated separately. Mix the ingredients just before placing the stuffing inside the turkey or into a casserole dish. If you choose to stuff your turkey, stuff it loosely. The stuffing should be moist, not dry, since heat destroys bacteria more rapidly in a moist environment. Place the turkey in the oven immediately. The time it takes to cook the turkey varies anywhere from three to five hours, depending on its size, which is why a thermometer can come in handy. All turkey meat, including any that remains pink, is safe to eat as soon as all parts reach a minimum temperature of at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

Nov. 21, 2024 | Thanksgiving is a time for sharing, but one thing you don’t want to share is the bacteria that cause foodborne illnesses like staph infections or listeria. If you are having a holiday party this year, remember to always serve food on clean plates, not those previously holding raw meat and poultry. Otherwise, bacteria which may have been present in raw meat juices can cross contaminate the food to be served. If you are cooking foods ahead of time, be sure to cook them to safe minimum internal temperatures, somewhere between 145 and 165 degrees Fahrenheit. Foods should not sit at room temperature for more than two hours. Keep track of how long foods have been sitting on the buffet table and discard anything there two hours or more. Hot foods should be held at 140 degrees or warmer. Cold foods should be held at 40 degrees or colder. Keep foods cold by nesting dishes in bowls of ice. Otherwise, use small serving trays and replace them.

Nov. 21, 2024 | If you’re like many Americans and enjoying leftovers from yesterday’s Thanksgiving feast, here are some tips for safely serving your meals. Reheating a whole turkey is not recommended. If you plan to reheat a turkey, cut it into small pieces, although legs and wings may be left whole. Refrigerate stuffing and turkey separately in shallow containers within two hours of cooking. Reheat thoroughly to a temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit or until hot and steaming. Refrigerate potatoes, gravy, and vegetables in shallow containers and make sure that your storage devices are airtight so that your food will stay fresh. Leftovers can help you stretch your budget by providing the ingredients you will need for meals throughout the holiday weekend and beyond. Leftover turkey makes for great sandwiches and pot pie. A hambone is the perfect foundation for a great soup. Freeze what you won’t use in the next three days and enjoy the rest.