The holidays have arrived, and we are busier than ever in the kitchen. There are parties to host, dishes to prepare for office parties, and feasts to prepare for the family at home. During the hustle and bustle of the holiday spirit, we often get careless in the kitchen, which can lead to major accidents or illness. According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, Thanksgiving Day is the number one day for cooking fires, with an average of 1,600 occurring on this day.

The first rule of thumb to prevent accidents in the kitchen is to plan and organize before you start. Once you have decided what you will be preparing, organizing your workflow should be the next step. Having an organized plan will help to ensure that sufficient time is allotted to prepare the dish or meal without rushing carelessly risking a household fire or other catastrophe.

Organization can help to keep clutter at bay and allow you to focus on each task individually. This also aids in the thought process for ensuring that all necessary kitchen utensils are easily located, all ingredients are available, and all risks for cross-contamination have been eliminated.

Before beginning meal prep, cooks should ensure that kitchen towels and pot holders are accessible. Keep these items handy but away from the stove, as they may catch fire. For stirring and rearranging food, long-handled utensils should be readily available. Moisture-resistant, heat-proof gloves are also recommended. To keep food safe from physical contamination and to protect clothing, cooks should wear aprons. Cooks should avoid clothing that has wide sleeves or fringes that dangle and can catch fire from the stove.

In the rush of holiday food preparation, remember not to overfill fryer baskets. This can cause grease burns and uneven cooking. When frying wet foods, always dry them to prevent the water from causing grease to spatter in the air. Never fry a turkey inside, always fry it outside in an area that is not enclosed! Take time to thaw frozen foods properly on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator to prevent leakage onto other foods causing contamination. Microwaving to thaw is another safe option. Thawing foods in a timely and safe manner is the key to success, especially if thawing a frozen turkey. Allow 24 hours for every 4-5 pounds to thaw a frozen turkey. Thawing turkey in a brine mixture of cold water, salt, and sometimes other seasonings is another safe way to thaw in the refrigerator. The bird absorbs the flavor from the brine. The brine also moistens the meat.

Part of your organization plan should include the days and times that you will be preparing specific items. For example, pies and cakes on Wednesday afternoon from 4-7 p.m., etc. As you prepare, continuously clean your surroundings. This will not only aid in time management by resulting in less clean-up afterward but also eliminate the opportunity for bacteria growth.

Organizing and planning the specific days and times to schedule food prep will also help to keep food products separated and aid in preventing cross-contamination. Food safety should begin at the grocery store. Meat, chicken, turkey, seafood, and eggs should be kept in a separate location in the shopping cart. Grocers provide plastic bags to place these items in to prevent leakage.

As you prepare your foods for the holiday, it is important to remember to keep them safe for consumption. Take a few moments to ensure that your refrigerator is set to  41°F or below. This will keep cold foods at a safe temperature until they are ready to be reheated. The recommended temperature for reheating food is 165° F (73.8 °C). A food thermometer can verify the internal temperature. Poultry products should be cooked 165°F, ground meats to 155°F, whole cuts of beef, pork, and lamb at 145°F and fish and eggs at 145°F.

Preparing foods for the holidays is a fun tradition for families worldwide. Early planning and organization can keep your holiday meal prep safe. For more information about home and food safety contact Cheri Bennett at cheri_bennett@ncsu.edu.

The N.C. Cooperative Extension, Richmond County Center helps provide research-based education and technology to the producers and citizens of this great county. The office is located at

123 Caroline St. in Rockingham, and can be reached at  910-997-8255.