Tips for a Healthy Thanksgiving Weekend

November 27, 2024

Stay healthy this Thanksgiving season, whether it’s preparing and cooking your meal or traveling to your destination.

Make the most of your time with family and friends by keeping in mind a few safety precautions.

“On the most popular food holiday of the year, we’re reminding consumers to follow safe food handling practices starting at the grocery store and going all the way through enjoying your leftovers,” U.S. Department of Agriculture, Under Secretary for Food Safety Dr. Emilio Esteban, said.

Here are a few health and safety tips to keep in mind ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday weekend.

Turkey Tips

1. Don’t let your turkey become a home for bacteria. Keep it cold during your trip home from the store and refrigerate as soon as possible.
2. Let the turkey thaw in the refrigerator.
3. Fully clean and sanitize surfaces that come in contact with the turkey and its juices.
4. Use a food thermometer to make sure the bird is fully cooked. It should have an internal temperature of 165° F.

Find additional food safety tips online.

Fire Extinguisher 101

Fire extinguishers are your first line of defense with a fire. Inspect fire extinguishers regularly. It’s important to remember:

1. Never use water on a grease or oil fire.
2. Remember PASS or Pull the pin, Aim at the base of the fire, Squeeze the handle, Sweep back and forth.
3. If the fire continues to grow, evacuate the building and call 911. Once outside, stay out and go to your meeting spot—never go back inside a building that has a fire.

Find more fire safety tips online.

On the Road

Pennsylvania law requires any occupant younger than 18 to buckle up when riding in a vehicle, as well as drivers and front-seat passengers. Children under 2 must be secured in a rear-facing car seat, and children under the age of four must be restrained in an approved child safety seat. Children must ride in a booster seat until they turn 8.

PennDOT Operation Safe Holiday kicked off on November 11 with the “Click It or Ticket” (CIOT) Thanksgiving Enforcement Mobilization running through December 1. Last year, it is estimated that 92 percent of unbelted occupants, or 282 people, who were killed in crashes while traveling in passenger vehicles, including cars, small trucks, vans, and SUVs, could have survived if they had been buckled up.

“Safety is essential to the Pennsylvania Turnpike, and motorists play a critical role in ensuring safer roads,” PA Turnpike Chief Operating Officer Craig Shuey said in a statement. “Distractions can increase during the holiday season, which means we need drivers more than ever to do what they can to remove distractions, stay alert and focus on the road. Responsible and mindful driving will help motorists get to their holiday destinations safely.

Additional information about travel safety is available online.