What’s the Thanksgiving food you look forward to the most?

I’m guessing that the Turkey takes the stage in most meals, the aroma drifting through the air as friends and family gather. I’m guessing that the Turkey takes the stage in most meals, the aroma drifting through the air as friends and family gather. I’d like to share a few food safety tips in choosing and preparing your turkey.


• For fresh or frozen turkeys, purchase about 1 pound per person. If purchasing a fresh turkey, purchase only 1-2 days before cooking.

• Thawing frozen turkey should be done one of three ways: in cold water, in the refrigerator or in the microwave with plans to immediately begin the cooking. Look for charts on time lines on the above mentioned fact sheet. Remember that thawing a large turkey can take 4-6 days, so remember to plan refrigerator space ahead.

• Roasting an unstuffed turkey is the safest method. Make sure you use a food thermometer to test the meat and it reaches 175 to 180 degrees for best results. If you choose to stuff your turkey, plan on doing it the morning of roasting and allow extra roasting time, but I’ve found doing the stuffing in an oven bag keeps it just as moist and safer than roasting in the turkey.

• Let roasted turkey sit for 15-20 minutes to let the juices set before carving and the juices should run clear. Remember to put the leftovers away quickly after the meal, no more than two hours to be safe.

• How long can you keep the leftovers? Turkey may be kept 3-4 days, but the stuffing and gravy only 1-2. Remember to put foods away quickly after the meal in small containers so that you can enjoy the leftovers safely. If there’s more than you want to eat right away, they may be frozen for 3-4 months (for best flavor.)

As your family is gathering with friends or extended family, think about the traditions or rituals you are celebrating. It's the things that "you always do", the things that the children look forward to and you have come to expect as part of your holidays. When we do these things, we are creating a strong family. Why is that?

Because Family Rituals help us to relate, communicate, show caring and problem solving. When we are together to catch up on things, we understand the challenges that other have had and how they worked through them.

Family Rituals help us as we go through stages in life....weddings, new babies, moving or job changes. Others can share how they have coped as many have gone through them before us.

Family Rituals help us to heal from loss or to forgive. When our loved ones can't be with us anymore, it's important for all of us to realize that life goes on and remember the good memories they left us.

These times together help us to think about what things are important to our family, our values, and our faith and life experiences. Use this time to tell and record stories. Talk about why family members are successful, what character traits are important and how they achieved the things they have.

Celebrate the holidays by sharing why you are proud to be a part of this family, share with young adults and new family members the joys of being together. Share with them who are the keeper of the family stories, who's the one to always be laughing or telling jokes, who's the one that knows the history?

And remember to share the stories of gratitude, why we are blessed and how we can share. From all of us at the Polk County Extension Service, Happy Thanksgiving!