The turkey is bought and the stuffing is ready to be mixed up, but you don't want to turn a happy Thanksgiving into a sick holiday.
The United States Department of Agriculture has come up with a few tips on how to keep your Thanksgiving dinner healthy and your guests happy.
For pre-Thanksgiving preparations, how do you thaw your bird? If you weren't lucky enough to buy a thawed turkey, the USDA says there are three ways to get the job done safely: put in the frozen turkey in the refrigerator for a day or two before cooking, put in cold water - changing it every 30 minutes, or defrost in the microwave using the defrost setting.
And after Thanksgiving, how long can you safely serve the turkey sandwiches, turkey salad, turkey and waffles and all of the other leftovers? The USDA says they're only good for about three or four days in the refrigerator. You can also safely freeze them for two to six months. If you are packing them for travel, make sure you have the extra food in a cooler for the trip and then thoroughly reheat to 165 degrees.
For more ideas about gifts, decorating, where to eat and what to do, check out our complete Atlanta Holiday Guide.
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