Essential Thanksgiving Safety Tips for a Joyous Family Holiday

Follow these important Thanksgiving safety tips to keep your busy holiday season safe and joyous!

The holiday season, in general, is a special time to spend with family and friends, and the Thanksgiving holiday, in particular, is often marked by family, travel, turkey, and gratitude.

Parents enjoy some time off of work; kids get a break from school. And everyone spends time together, indulging in more cooking (and eating!) than normal.

Add more joy to your family holiday by trying these delicious no bake Thanksgiving desserts!

It can be a very busy time between cleaning, entertaining, and cooking. All of this hustle and bustle can create additional distractions that can potentially lead to a dangerous situation.

Whether you’re spending your busy, joyous holiday at home or traveling to someone else’s, it’s important to know about potential holiday hazards and steps that you can take to help prevent them.

That’s why we’ve collected some important Thanksgiving safety tips to help ensure that your festive holiday remains that way.

Thanksgiving Safety Tips

Busy holidays can present hazards in many different ways. With a great number of people in the house, more food on the stove (or in the oven), and a general increase in commotion, accidents are more likely to happen.

Use these tips to keep Thanksgiving safety as a top priority this holiday season.

Thanksgiving 2020: General Tips

As you start making your plans for Thanksgiving this year, consider ways to celebrate the holiday that may look a little different than it has in years past.

Some general things that you can do to keep yourself and others safe and healthy are to:

Enjoy a virtual feast with one another through Zoom.
Keep any and all gatherings small.
If the weather allows, consider moving your Thanksgiving gathering outdoors.
Wear a mask anytime you’re indoors but not eating.
Arrange your space and seating to seat people further apart.

Thanksgiving Safety Tips in the Kitchen

With more people in the house, more food being prepared, and more chaos present with kids and pets excitedly running around, it’s even more important to be diligent about safety in the kitchen.

Here are some Thanksgiving food safety tips you can use to stay safe while cooking your Thanksgiving feast.

Remain in the kitchen and keep an eye on the food while cooking on the stove top.
Keep kids away from the hot stove and hot dishes out of the oven so they don’t touch it and get burned.
Stay home as you cook your turkey. Check on it often to reduce risk of fire.
Keep children at least 3 feet away from hot liquids and food. A splash (or steam) from boiling water, coffee, or even vegetables or gravy can cause serious burns.
Turn pot handles away from the edge of the stove and out of reach of kids.
Keep sharp utensils and knives up high and away from children’s reach.
Move hot dishes away from counter edges to prevent kids and pets from pulling them down.
Double-check that all electric-cords are out of children’s reach.
Have a fire extinguisher and know where it is just in case of a grease fire.
Be sure to turn off stove burners and your oven when you are done cooking.
Test your smoke alarms ahead of time to ensure they are working properly.

Thanksgiving Pet Safety

Pets are a part of many households, so take care to be aware of the possible dangers for pets during celebrations such as Thanksgiving. Use these tips to keep your fur babies safe and ensure everyone has a wonderful holiday.

If pets become anxious around crowds or in loud boisterous environments, consider keeping them away from the chaos in a closed bedroom to keep them (and everyone else!) safe.
Refrain from sharing undercooked or raw turkey with your dog or cat because they can get sick from salmonella bacteria as people can. If you share your holiday meal, make sure it’s thoroughly cooked.
Don’t feed your pets anything (especially stuffing) with herbs in it, as they can make your pet sick.
Never feed turkey bones to your pets.
Don’t share raw dough with your pet because it will expand after being eaten which can make your pet sick and require surgery to fix.
Keep any trash cans with food in them out of the way (and locked, if possible) from pets.
Many flower arrangements include flowers (Baby’s Breath, Sweet William, amaryllis, etc) that are toxic to pets. Keep fresh flowers well out of reach for curious pets.

Thanksgiving Food Safety

Food plays a large role in most Thanksgiving festivities. Here are some important Thanksgiving safety tips for food to help you enjoy your favorite holiday dishes while keeping everyone safe and happy as they (over)indulge.

Important Preparation Tips

Wash your hands with soap and water both before and after handing any raw meat or preparing food.
Wash all fruits and vegetables before preparing them.
Reduce the risk of salmonella poisoning by keeping your utensils and prep surfaces clean.
Use one cutting board for all meat and fish, a separate cutting board for fruits and vegetables, and a third for cooked foods. Make sure to wash and sanitize your cutting boards after every use.

Turkey Safety Tips

Safe thawing: If your turkey is frozen, thaw it in the refrigerator (not on the counter). Allow 1 day in the fridge for every 5 pounds of turkey (3-4 total days, depending on the size of your turkey).
If you cook your turkey stuffed, don’t add your stuffing ahead of time. Instead, stuff it just before you roast.
Always check to see that your turkey is completely cooked by using a meat thermometer. Your turkey is fully cooked once the temperature in the thickest part of the thigh reaches 165℉.

Tips for Handling Leftovers

If you leave the food out while you eat, ensure that it’s out of reach for children and pets.
Put all leftovers into the fridge within two hours being cooked.
If you freeze leftovers, do it that same day instead of after several days of being refrigerated.

Thanksgiving is a time for celebrating all you have to be grateful for with family and friends. Use these Thanksgiving safety tips to protect you and your family from and mishaps so that your holiday festivities remain joyous and memorable!