5 Safety Tips to Avoid Thanksgiving Mishaps

Thanksgiving is a joyful holiday, but it can also be full of stress, especially when your to-do list and the time you have to accomplish everything aren’t matching up. When you are pressed for time, everything from the demands of proper food handling to the increase in travel activity can increase the risk of Thanksgiving mishaps. And that can lead to Thanksgiving accidents — especially if you’re dealing with ovens, stovetops and deep-frying turkeys. 

Thanksgiving holiday safety tips can go a long way toward making sure that your holiday is fun for everyone. Paying attention to Thanksgiving safety will help you stay in tip-top shape (and out of the emergency room).

Steer clear of the following Thanksgiving fails with these tips. 

Tip 1: Be Prepared for Food Prep

Maybe you thought your aunt’s weird casserole would be the biggest hazard to avoid. But in reality, food prep is full of many potential Thanksgiving food problems you’ve got to watch out for. Sharp knives and peelers can cause some nasty cuts, and dull tools can lead to even more serious injuries than sharp ones.   

Avoid the Accident: Did you know sharper tools are actually safer? Sawing at a squash with a dull knife only increases your chances of hurting yourself. If you do nick a finger or puncture your hand, apply direct pressure until the bleeding stops. Clean the area with warm water and soap, then apply an antibiotic ointment under a sterile bandage. If the cut is especially deep or won’t stop bleeding, be sure to see a doctor.

Tip 2: Keep Your Area Clean

Improperly prepared food can lead to food poisoning — and in addition to keeping your loved ones healthy, you definitely don’t want them recounting that story every year from now on! It’s no surprise that a holiday with so much emphasis on food, including raw meat, can lead to an uptick in food poisoning cases.

Clean your kitchen workspace and cutting boards after preparing each dish, and have a plan for the order in which dishes will be prepared so cold ingredients are not left at room temperature for long periods of time. Follow smart Thanksgiving cooking safety tips to make sure you cook the turkey all the way through.  

Avoid the Accident: A meat thermometer is an inexpensive way to help prevent Thanksgiving fails caused by food poisoning. Simply check your turkey frequently as it roasts to ensure it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees.

Another way to prevent an undercooked bird is to roast it in the oven, which is the safest option when cooking a frozen turkey. Grilling and deep-frying are frowned upon, mostly because these methods increase the likelihood of the outside of the turkey being cooked, but the inside not reaching a safe temperature. Plus, grilling and deep-frying lead to far more accidental fires than using the oven. 

If you want to drastically speed up the turkey cooking time while also keeping it tender (and increasing the chances it will cook thoroughly), consider spatchcocking it. It looks weird, but the meat’s tenderness — and the time in the oven — is unmatched.

Tip 3: Decrease the Risk of Fire

Thanksgiving is practically an Olympic-level obstacle course: Cooking multiple dishes on a tight schedule, over a hot stove, with the possibility of foods being left unattended, all of which increases the risk of a kitchen fire. Add in family and friends visiting your home, which creates extra traffic in the house.

So, be smart: make sure you know where the kids are and that they know the kitchen is off-limits — stoves and small children do not mix! Same goes if you are using a grill or deep fryer outside. Pick a cooking area away from home structures and overhangs and make sure the kids know the area is off limits. 

Avoid the Accident: Follow smart fire safety practices in your home, including having a fire extinguisher on hand as well as a working smoke detector. Practice basic caution by not leaving cooking food unattended, be mindful of the extra appliance cords near the stove, and make sure potholders and other flammable objects are at least 3 feet away from burners.

If you or a family member suffer a burn, hold the burned skin under cool (not cold) running water, or immerse in cool water until the pain subsides, then cover with a sterile, non-adhesive cloth or bandage. Of course, if the burn is more severe (if large blisters appear, or if the burn penetrates deeply), see a doctor immediately.

Tip 4: Drive Safely

Surprisingly, New Year’s Eve doesn’t take the prize for most auto accidents in the United States — Thanksgiving does. And people aren’t always doing it safely. During Thanksgiving weekend in 2022, 326 people were killed in traffic crashes — and 43% of them were unbuckled. Furthermore, 100 people were involved in fatal traffic crashes on Thanksgiving Eve, 35% of which were drunk drivers. Of course, the hazards get even worse when the weather gets dicey.

Avoid the Accident: Check your forecast and prepare accordingly if road conditions have a chance of deteriorating. Give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination. And whatever you do, do not drink and drive. It can be tempting to have that extra glass of wine at dinner, but it’s not worth risking a drunk-driving incident. Finally, take an extra second and put on your seatbelt — always.

Tip 5: Locks and Lights

If you and your family are traveling for Thanksgiving, plan ahead to protect your empty home. Robberies tend to spike over holidays, and these few simple security steps can ensure your home and its contents are just as you left them. 

Avoid the Fail: Prepare your home for vacation by making sure doors and windows are locked, and consider using a timer for a few interior lights and front and back porch lights to make it seem like someone is home. Place your mail and paper services on hold and, if you have a trustworthy neighbor, let them know to keep an eye on the place while you’re gone. And don’t post your vacation plans on social media; you never know who’s really seeing your posts.

Most importantly, remember the things that matter. An extra ounce of caution can go a long way toward making sure your Thanksgiving is the safe, relaxing holiday it’s meant to be. 

Keep Your Future Failsafe 

For a little extra help protecting the things that matter, talk to Farm Bureau today. They can help. (But not with your aunt’s casserole. You’re on your own with that one.)