Gobble gobble and buckle up this Thanksgiving! It’s that time of year again, meaning you are likely traveling to be with family or friends. Whether you live right down the road or have a journey beyond the Madison area ahead of you, Toyota of Morristown is here to help you with simple tips and tricks for staying safe when traveling with any or all of the fixin’s.
Maintaining Safe Temperatures When Heading Over The River or Through the Woods
If you’re en route to grandmother’s house with food stowed in your Toyota, it is vital to make sure that your dish maintains a safe temperature in order to remain safe to eat. When foods move between temperatures of 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F, it allows for microorganisms to thrive and can cause food poisoning. You won’t want to leave hot or cold foods in the aforementioned “danger zone” for more than two hours, so make sure to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold with these helpful tips below.
Hot Foods Hot, Cold Foods Cold
Cold Side Dishes
The easiest way to get cold sides from place to place is to stow the dish in an insulated cooler with ice packs.
Hot Side Dishes
Hot dishes can also be transported in an insulated cooler, wrapped in layers of newspaper and towels to keep it warm and filling gaps with excess paper or towels to prevent shifting or spills.
Another foolproof way to get your warm dishes safely from Point A to Point B is to plan ahead by preparing them the night before. This way, you can let your green bean casserole or sweet potato pie cool to room temperature and then stow it in the refrigerator until it’s time to head out. Cover the dishes tightly and accompany them with ice packs, and when you arrive you’ll be able to easily reheat and serve!
The Big Kahuna: The Turkey
Stuffing and mashed potatoes may seem like child’s play when it comes to discussing the main event of the Thanksgiving Day meal — the turkey. Going around the corner or across Madison with a cooked bird is acceptable when it is covered tightly in foil. Longer trips, however, require a bit more planning. Roast your turkey and let it cool to room temperature before transporting, carving the turkey and stowing it separately from the stuffing in the fridge. Simplify transport by carrying the turkey in an insulated cooler with ice packs, reheating when you arrive.
Get Prepped for Turkey Day Near Madison
Make sure that you discard any foods that warm above refrigerator temperature (40 degrees F) during transport, and avoid partially cooking a turkey at home, cooking at a lower temperature for longer, or stuffing and dressing a raw bird before transporting it for cooking.
Worried about how you’ll successfully get your contribution to the table? There’s always the canned cranberry sauce staple to fall back on.