By Alyssa Havlovic, MS, RDN, ACSM EP-C, Extension Educator in Lancaster County
Before you host or attend your next holiday gathering, take this quiz to test your food safety knowledge to keep yourself and loved ones free from foodborne illness this holiday season.
QUESTIONS
1) Approximately how long should you allow for thawing a frozen turkey in the refrigerator?
a. 24 hours per each 1–2 pounds of turkey
b. 24 hours per each 4–5 pounds of turkey
c. 24 hours per each 6–7 pounds of turkey
2) What is a safe internal temperature for cooking a whole turkey?
a. 145°F
b. 155°F
c. 165°F
3) Which of the following are important practices to follow if stuffing a turkey?
a. Do not mix wet and dry ingredients for a stuffing until just before stuffing the bird.
b. Stuff the turkey loosely.
c. Cook a stuffed turkey immediately.
d. Use a food thermometer.
e. b, c and d
f. All of the above
4) What is the longest time perishable food should sit out at room temperature on a buffet table?
a. 2 hours
b. 3 hours
c. 4 hours
5) If you are serving 20 people at a holiday party, what size of turkey should you buy?
a. 10 pounds
b. 15 pounds
c. 20 pounds
d. 25 pounds
6) It is not recommended to wash your turkey before cooking it.
a. True
b. False
7) Is a pop-up thermometer in a turkey reliable?
a. Yes
b. No
8) When should you buy a fresh turkey before cooking?
a. 1–2 days
b. 2–3 days
c. 3–4 days
d. 4–5 days
9) Which of the following are important practices to follow if traveling with food?
a. Keep hot foods hot by wrapping them in foil and then in heavy towels.
b. Keep cold foods cold by placing them in a cooler with ice or freezer packs.
c. Perishable foods such as meat, poultry, eggs and casseroles kept at room temperature for longer than 2 hours should be thrown out.
d. All of the above.
10) If you have leftover turkey in the refrigerator, you should eat it within how many days?
a. 1–2 days
b. 2–3 days
c. 3–4 days
d. 4–5 days
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ANSWER KEY
1) B 2) C 3) F 4) A 5) C 6) A 7) B 8) A 9) D 10) C
Visit https://food.unl.edu/free-resource/holiday-food-safety-quiz for a full explanation of each answer.
Source: USDA