Holiday Food Safety Quiz

A Thanksgiving dinner plate with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, and green beans.

During the coming holidays, thoughts turn to family, food, and finding enough time to fit everything in! Food safety may take a back seat as we take short cuts, prepare foods ahead, cook late into the night, and host numerous holiday feasts.

Before you cook the turkey, set up the buffet, or start making holiday goodies, see how you do on this holiday food safety quiz, based on information from the USDA.

Questions

Approximately, how long should you allow for thawing a frozen turkey in the refrigerator?
1. 24 hours per each 1–2 pounds of turkey
2. 24 hours per each 4–5 pounds of turkey
3. 24 hours per each 6–7 pounds of turkey
What is a safe internal temperature for cooking a whole turkey?
1. 145°F
2. 155°F
3. 165°F
Which of the following are important practices to follow if stuffing a turkey?
1. Do not mix wet and dry ingredients for a stuffing until just before stuffing the bird
2. Stuff the turkey loosely
3. Cook a stuffed turkey immediately
4. Use a food thermometer
5. b, c, and d
6. All of the above
What is the longest that perishable food should sit out at room temperature on a buffet table?
1. 2 hours
2. 3 hours
3. 4 hours
If you are serving 20 people at a holiday party, what size of turkey should you buy?
1. 10 pounds
2. 15 pounds
3. 20 pounds
4. 25 pounds
It is not recommended to wash your turkey before cooking it.
1. True
2. False
Is a pop-up thermometer in a turkey reliable?
1. Yes
2. No
When should you buy a fresh turkey before cooking?
1. 1-2 days
2. 2-3 days
3. 3-4 days
4. 4-5 days
Which of the following are important practices to follow if traveling with food?
1. Keep hot foods hot by wrapping them in foil and then in heavy towels.
2. Keep cold foods cold by placing them in a cooler with ice or freezer packs.
3. Perishable foods such as meat, poultry, eggs, and casseroles kept at room temperature for longer than 2 hours should be thrown out.
4. All of the above.
If you have leftover turkey in the refrigerator, you should eat it within how many days?
1. 1-2 days
2. 2-3 days
3. 3-4 days
4. 4-5 days

Answers

b. 24 hours per each 4–5 pounds of turkey. Place the frozen bird in its original wrapper in the refrigerator (40°F or below). Allow approximately 24 hours per each 4–5 pounds of turkey. A thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for 1–2 days. Learn more about thawing a turkey at https://go.unl.edu/thawturkey.
c. 165°F. Use a food thermometer to check the internal temperature of the turkey. A whole turkey is safe when cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 165°F throughout the bird. Check the internal temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. If you have stuffed your turkey, the center of the stuffing must also reach 165°F. For reasons of personal preference, you may choose to cook turkey to a higher temperature. All turkey meat, including any that remains pink, is safe to eat as soon as all parts reach at least 165°F. The stuffing should reach 165°F, whether cooked inside the bird or in a separate dish. Let turkey stand 20 minutes after removing it from the oven. Remove any stuffing and carve the turkey. Follow these estimated cooking times for different sizes of turkey to reach 165°F at: https://go.unl.edu/turkeycookingtimes.
f. All of the above. Cooking a home-stuffed turkey is riskier than cooking one not stuffed. Even if the turkey itself has reached the safe minimum internal temperature of 165°F as measured in the innermost part of the thigh, the wing and the thickest part of the breast, the stuffing may not have reached a temperature high enough to destroy bacteria that may be present. Stuff it safely with these suggestions from USDA.
a. 2 hours. Foods should not sit at room temperature for more than two hours. Keep track of how long foods have been sitting on the buffet table and discard anything there two hours or more.
c. 20 pounds. The general recommendation is to allow 1 pound of fresh or frozen turkey per person.
a. True. Avoid washing or rinsing a turkey (or any eggs, meat or poultry products for that matter) before cooking. Juices can transfer bacteria onto kitchen surfaces, other foods and utensils. If you must wash or rinse your turkey because of brining or other marinating processes, be sure to thoroughly clean and then sanitize all kitchen surfaces to eliminate the risk of cross-contamination.
b. No. It is recommended that you also check the internal temperature of the turkey in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast with a food thermometer. The minimum internal temperature should reach 165 °F for safety.
a. 1-2 days. Buy your fresh turkey only 1 to 2 days before you plan to cook it.
d. All of the above. By keeping hot food hot and cold food cold, you are avoiding the Danger Zone (temperatures between 40 - 140°F) where bacteria grows rapidly. More tips for traveling with food at https://go.unl.edu/k4ph.
c. 3-4 days. Refrigerate leftovers within two hours to prevent bacteria from growing on the food. Eat leftovers in the refrigerator within 3-4 days. Use the freezer to store leftovers for longer periods.