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Tips to Keep People and Pets Healthy and Happy This Season!

Published on November 26, 2024

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‘Tis the season! This is the time of year when many are traveling, getting together, sharing food, snuggling pets and spending time with loved ones. Experts from the Denver Department of Public Health & Environment (DDPHE) offer these tips to keep all your loved ones healthy this holiday season!

Food Safety

Big holiday meals with loved ones offer an opportunity to taste the magic of the season. In the hustle and bustle of the season, it is easy to overlook the basics, but avoiding foodborne illness is simple. Here are some easy ways to make sure your holiday meal gets a round of applause and not a round of food poisoning.

Keep it clean: It's important to keep your food preparation area clean. That starts with handwashing. Be sure to wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, before and after handling food. As you work, keep all surfaces and utensils clean. To avoid cross-contamination, prepare food in separate areas. Keep raw meat away from vegetables or other uncooked food. Never handle cooked and raw food at the same time.
Defrost your bird: More than likely, the turkey you buy at the supermarket is frozen, so purchase it early enough to allow adequate time for thawing. There are three safe ways to defrost a turkey: in the refrigerator, soaking in cold water or by microwave. Learn the specifics of defrosting your turkey on the DDPHE holiday food safety blog. Don’t wash the turkey as it spreads potential bacteria and can cause cross-contamination; cooking it to the right temperature kills any bacteria.
Cook immediately after thawing: Cook that bird as soon as it is thawed, especially if you are thawing your turkey in cold water or by microwave. Don’t thaw the turkey days ahead and then put it back in the refrigerator. Cook to an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Use a meat thermometer on the innermost part of the thigh and wing, as well as the thickest part of the breast, to ensure it’s well-cooked.
Store leftovers properly: While preparing and serving, hot foods should be kept at 140 degrees or above. Cold foods should be kept at 40 degrees or below. Never let foods sit in the bacteria danger zone, between 40 and 140 degrees for more than two hours. Leftovers should be refrigerated quickly. Storing food in shallow containers allows more surface area exposure and quicker cooling.
Eat your leftovers: You have a limited window to enjoy refrigerated leftovers. Turkey leftovers are good in the fridge for up to four days. Casseroles and mashed potatoes can go up to five days. If you want them to last longer, put leftovers in the freezer, where they’ll last indefinitely. But for best quality, eat within four months.
Ask the professionals: You can call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline with any cooking questions at 1-888-674-6854. The hotline is open Thanksgiving Day from 6 a.m.-12 p.m. MST.

Don’t let those leftovers go to waste. From planning to storage and portion size, learn more about how to prevent food waste this Thanksgiving.

Get Vaccinated

Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself and your loved ones from infection and severe illness this season and beyond. It's important to be vaccinated against seasonal illnesses, including respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), flu, and COVID-19, before holiday gatherings. Everyone 6 months and older is eligible for both the annual flu vaccine and the updated COVID-19 vaccine. Most people can receive these vaccines for free from their healthcare provider or at local pharmacies.

All vaccines are safe and effective. Vaccines undergo years of testing to ensure they are safe and have benefits that outweigh the risks. Learn more about vaccines on the DDPHE immunization website.

Pet Safety

The holiday season means showing gratitude for our furry family members and their cold-nosed kisses. Because we love them so much, it’s important to make the holidays as pet-friendly as possible. Learn more about pet safety from tips from Denver Animal Shelter.

Keep these things in mind before sharing your holiday meal with your pets:

Turkey – Never offer pets raw or undercooked turkey as it can contain salmonella bacteria. Keep the carcass and all bones away. Dogs and cats also have a hard time processing fatty foods like turkey skin.
Bread Dough – Yeast in raw bread dough will continue to convert sugars into carbon dioxide and alcohol, a combination that could become life-threatening.
Pies and cakes – Raw eggs can lead to food poisoning. Also, the artificial sweetener xylitol in some desserts can be fatal if pets eat it.
Chocolates – Can cause vomiting, diarrhea, high blood pressure, seizures and other symptoms.

Learn more information about keeping your pet safe this holiday season on the DDPHE Healthy Insights blog.