Avoid these cooking hazards and keep Thanksgiving safe
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Thanksgiving is a day to focus on family, friends, and of course, food. But it's also important to keep safety top of mind.
Big family gatherings and big meals go hand in hand, and they call for lots of cooking, but that can come with some risks.
"It's about three times as many fires on Thanksgiving than any other day of the year," U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission Chair Alex Hoehn-Saric said.
One common mistake: using water to put out a grease fire. It's very dangerous.
Fire safety experts recommend preparing ahead.
"Always have the lid close by and slide it over the top, turn the burner off and let it sit," Minnesota State Fire Marshal Jim Smith said.
And while you might want to sit around the table for a while after your meal. Leftover food shouldn't. The USDA says to keep hot foods hot, and cold foods cold.
Any cooked food shouldn't sit out for more than two hours. After that it reaches the "danger zone" when bacteria can multiply quickly. So pack up those leftovers and get them into the refrigerator.
"Food containers can vary, but the most important thing is to make sure that it's really well sealed and that its airtight," Beth Czerwony, RD, with the Cleveland Clinic, said.
And once your leftovers are properly stored in the refrigerator, experts say you can safely enjoy them for a few days.
"Leftovers are good for three to four days, maximum, in the refrigerator. An easy way to remember this is you have to have all those leftovers eaten by Cyber Monday," Czerwony said.
And if you'd like to keep it even longer.
"You can certainly freeze it and keep that food up to six months," Czerwony said.
When you reheat leftovers, its a good idea to use a thermometer to make sure they are reheated to at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit to kill any possible bacteria.
