Seasonal Food Safety

Whether you are planning a small summer bbq with friends or a big holiday feast, make sure your plans include food safety to keep your guests happy and healthy.

Special Occasions

• Game Day Food Safety

Seasonal Food Safety Resources

• Candy Making at High Altitude
• Holiday Food Safety: Food Allergies
• Plan Ahead for Successful Holiday Meals
• Prepping Your Kitchen for the Holidays
• Kitchen Cleanse Checklist
• Safe Handling of Eggs in Holiday Foods

Turkey Basics:

• Handling Food Safely This Thanksgiving
  Plan ahead to ease the countdown tension for your Thanksgiving meal.
• Turkey Basics: Handling Cooked Dinners Recommendations for take-out, deli-prepared, or convenience turkey dinners.
• Turkey Basics: Safely Roasting a Turkey
• Turkey Basics: Safe Thawing 
  A turkey must be kept at a safe temperature during thawing. Learn three safe methods.
• Turkey Basics: Stuffing 
  For safety, prepare stuffing or dressing for the turkey according to these directions.
• Turkey from Farm to Table 
  Safe storage, handling, cooking methods and approximate cooking times (traditional and microwave) for turkey products. Information about inspection and labeling is included.
• Smoking Meat & Poultry 
  Where there’s smoke, there’s well-flavored meat and poultry. Using a smoker is one method of imparting natural smoke flavor to large cuts of meat, whole poultry, and turkey breasts.

YouTube Videos about Turkey:

• Cooking a Turkey
• Stuffing a Turkey
• Thawing a Turkey

Moms-To-Be and Seniors:

• For Seniors, Eat with Caution During the Holidays
• Holiday Food Safety During Pregnancy

Additional resources:

• Food Safety Tips for Passover and Easter
  Festive times for giving and sharing should not include sharing foodborne illness
• Mail Order Food Safety 
  These tips, and a comprehensive storage chart, will help the purchaser and recipient determine if their perishable foods have been handled properly.
• Roasting Those “Other” Holiday Meats 
  Rather than turkey, some families choose a rib roast; others, a ham; and some will have a butcher arrange a crown roast of lamb. For special holiday meals, the cook wants everything perfect — and perfectly safe.
• Dangerous Food Safety Mistakes 
  Simple mistakes can sometimes have grave consequences. Foodsafety.gov looks at common mistakes and the solution to them.

Immediate answers to your questions on food safety:

• The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline
• Ask USDA