(COLDWATER) - Whether you are hosting this year's Thanksgiving meal or going somewhere for dinner, food preparation is key for a good meal.
That starts with getting everything ready to eat. Joe Frazier, Director of Environmental Health with the Brach-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency says make sure that when you are preparing your food you are doing it in a clean area. If you are using a cutting board or another surface, make sure you are washing it and your utensils with warm soap and water and towel dry them between foods.
When it comes to the turkey, Frazier says to make sure it is thawed properly and cooked all the way through. The internal temperature of the turkey should be 165 degrees when you check it in the thickest part of the bird which is the breast. If you put stuffing in the bird, Frazier says you can go a little higher with the temperature to make sure the meat is cooked properly. (LISTEN ABOVE)
You should also let the turkey rest for 20 minutes before carving it and then eating it.
Make sure that you refrigerate any leftover turkey within two hours after you finish eating, along with any other food items to preserve them. You should also eat any leftovers within 3 to 4 days.