Tips for a Safe and Healthy Thanksgiving

Here are some tips from Bandera Electric Cooperative to help keep your Thanksgiving celebration a little safer, healthier and more energy-efficient.
 
Preparing the Feast
Thawing a turkey? Planning ahead can make a big difference.
Put the still-wrapped bird on a tray to keep fluids from contaminating food in the refrigerator.
Thaw it in the refrigerator one day for every 4 pounds. That means you’ll have to start thawing a 20-pound gobbler the Saturday before Thanksgiving.
Clean your stove and oven before you start cooking your holiday meal.
Use the self-cleaning mode on your oven just after you’ve used it to take advantage of the residual heat.
Make the kitchen off-limits to kids who aren’t helping with the meal. This lessens chances of an accident.
Don’t wear dangling jewelry or loose long sleeves while cooking. They could catch fire or snag pot handles.
Keep Thanksgiving decorations and kitchen clutter away from sources of direct heat.
 
Fry the Turkey, Not Yourself
Deep-frying a turkey can result in a juicy, crispy bird. The production can also go very wrong. Here are some tips to consider:
Don’t try to deep-fry a turkey indoors. Use a propane-fired burner and deep pot made for frying.
Set the propane tank upwind away from the burner.
Position the fryer in an open area away from structures, trees and fences. Don’t fry in a garage, carport or porch.
Make sure turkey skin is completely dry to prevent spatter burns. Ease the turkey into and out of the hot oil.
Keep a close eye on the oil temperature and turn off the burner if the oil begins to smoke.
If the oil catches fire, call 911 immediately. DO NOT try to put out the fire with water, which will only spread the flames.
 
Going to Memaw’s?
If you’re taking a toddler to a home that’s not childproof:
Take medicines off bedside tables and out of unlocked drawers. Store them in a lockbox or on a high shelf. Iron pills or iron-fortified vitamins can pose a poisoning risk.
Bring along safety gates to block off any dangerous areas.
Make sure bathroom doors stay closed or block them off with a gate.
Watch out for small objects like coins or batteries that a curious youngster might swallow. If it can fit through a toilet paper tube, it’s a choking hazard.
Traveling by plane? Don’t forget the car seat.
 
Serve Up Energy Savings
With added holiday expenses, saving a little energy—and money—can be a big help.
Replace your lightbulbs with LED bulbs. Your guests won’t notice a difference in lighting, but you’ll see a difference in your bill.
Cook at least one dish from start to finish in the microwave, which uses about one-third of the electricity of a conventional oven. Slow cookers can help trim costs, too, and they don’t add as much heat to the room as the oven.
Load the dishwasher completely full. With a mountain of dinner plates, using the dishwasher will be more efficient than handwashing.