We Insure Wishes You a Happy and Safe Thanksgiving: Kitchen Safety Tips

It’s Thanksgiving Day, and even though you started cooking the turkey before sunrise there’s still a lot left to do before guests arrive. While getting the centerpieces just right and de-lumping the mashed potatoes may be top priorities, it’s also important to take time for some simple holiday safety measures. A few precautions can mean the difference between sitting down to enjoy your pumpkin pie, taking a trip to the ER or filing an insurance claim. Here are a few tips for a happily uneventful Thanksgiving.

Safety First

Before you begin the Thanksgiving cook-a-thon, make sure your safety equipment is in working order. Check that your smoke detectors have good batteries and that your kitchen fire extinguisher is full, stored within easy reach and rated for use with grease fires. Check and replenish your household first aid kit if necessary.

Be Careful With Electric Items

Between the rice cooker, microwave and other gadgets, it can be tough to find enough outlets — but don’t plug too many into one. An overloaded outlet or electrical circuit could start a fire. It’s also important to check each appliance, especially if it’s older or has been in storage for a while. Inspect electrical cords for items like hot plates, toasters and electric knives carefully to ensure there are no damaged or frayed wires.

Keep Tabs on the Turkey

While you may be tempted to leave the turkey unattended in the oven, it’s important to keep a watchful eye while it’s roasting. Ditto for dishes cooked on a stovetop, in a toaster oven or in air fryer. That way, if a small fire or accident happens, you’re in a better position to nip it in the bud before it wrecks your dinner — or your kitchen.

Kid-proof the Kitchen

Even if your plan is to keep kids out of the kitchen while you’re cooking, it’s still important to child-proof the area just in case. Keep knives, heat sources, appliance wires and cleaning fluids well out of reach. On the stovetop, turn pan handles inward to minimize the risk of a child bumping into a handle or pulling it down. If kids will be anywhere near the kitchen while you’re preparing the meal, take extra precautions — and have someone keep an eye on them while you cook.

Store Food Safely

Leftovers can be one of the best parts of Thanksgiving, but don’t let a food-borne illness sour your happy memories — or your stomach. Even if you plan to nibble through the day, pack up cooked food and refrigerate promptly. Bacteria can climb to dangerous levels on food left out for as little as one hour. And remember, salmonella can survive 32 hours on things like a countertop or cutting board, so clean food-prep surfaces thoroughly. Check the USDA’s recommended guidelines for safe leftover storage, especially if you’re sending guests home with food.

Thanksgiving is a time for family and loved ones to gather and enjoy a memorable meal and each other’s company. But it’s also a peak day for home cooking fires in the U.S. But just a few easy precautions can help keep your home and guests safe — and your holiday memorable for the right reasons. Everyone at We Insure hopes you’ll keep these tips in mind so you and your loved ones can have a fun and safe holiday.

If you have insurance needs, reach out to your We Insure agent or find one today.

Happy Thanksgiving from our families to yours!

Sources

https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/What-is-the-2-Hour-Rule-with-leaving-food-out

https://www.redcross.org/local/south-carolina/about-us/news-and-events/press-releases/red-cross-offers-10-thanksgiving-cooking-safety-tips.html

https://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/food-poisoning/news/20181115/does-your-turkey-have-salmonella-assume-it-does

https://www.nfpa.org/Public-Education/Fire-causes-and-risks/Seasonal-fire-causes/Thanksgiving