Turkey tactics: How to keep your holiday feast safe

It’s that time of year again – Thanksgiving. The staff of the Henry and Stark County Health Departments would like to remind everyone that as cooks across the country ready themselves for this annual feast day, handling poultry incorrectly and undercooking it are the most common problems that lead to foodborne disease outbreaks. To better guarantee that your Thanksgiving holiday is a healthy one, the Health Department offers up some helpful “Turkey Tactics:

Thaw your turkey safely:

● In the refrigerator in a container; start early and thaw turkey in a refrigerator. A 20-pound turkey will take about three days to thaw completely in a refrigerator.
● In a leak-proof plastic bag in a sink of cold water (change the water every 30 minutes);
● In the microwave, following the microwave oven manufacturer’s instructions.

Never thaw your turkey by leaving it out on the counter. A thawing turkey must defrost at a safe temperature. When the turkey is left out at room temperature for more than two hours, its temperature becomes unsafe. Bacteria can grow rapidly in the “danger zone” between 40°F and 140°F.

–Do not wash or rinse raw turkey-Federal food safety advice has recommended against washing turkey or chicken since 2005, but some habits are hard to break. Old recipes and family cooking traditions may keep this practice going, but it can make you and your family sick. Poultry juices can spread in the kitchen and contaminate other foods, utensils, and countertops.

–Handle Your Turkey the Right Way-Raw poultry can contaminate anything it touches with harmful bacteria. Follow the four steps to food safety- clean, separate, cook, and chill- to prevent the spread of bacteria to your food, family, and friends.

–Cook Stuffing Thoroughly-Cooking stuffing separately from the turkey in a casserole dish makes it easy to be sure it is thoroughly cooked. If you cook stuffing in the turkey, put the stuffing in the turkey just before cooking. With either cooking method, use a food thermometer to make sure the stuffing’s center reaches 165°F. Bacteria can survive in stuffing that has not reached 165°F and may then cause food poisoning. If you cook stuffing in the turkey, wait 20 minutes after taking the bird out of the oven before removing the stuffing; this allows it to cook a little more. Use a food thermometer to check for a safe internal temperature.

–Cook Your Turkey-Thoroughly-Cooking times will vary depending on the weight of the turkey. Use a food thermometer to make sure the turkey has reached a safe internal temperature of 165°F. Check by inserting a food thermometer into the center of the stuffing and the thickest portions of the breast, thigh, and wing joint. Even if your turkey has a pop-up temperature indicator, you should still use a food thermometer to check that it is safely cooked. Let the turkey stand 20 minutes before removing all stuffing from the cavity and carving the meat.

Henry and Stark Health Departments mark National Care at Home Month

The Henry and Stark Health Department’s Home Services Division announces that November has been designated National Care at Home Month. The goal for National Care at Home Month is to make sure every American has access to high-quality, person-centered services and care wherever they call home.

National Care at Home Month celebrates and supports caregivers everywhere. This observance is a great way to focus attention on the thousands of dedicated professionals who have made it their work to enable people to stay in the comfort of their own home and get needed services and personal care.

The Health Department Home Services staff asks, Are you recovering from an illness or need some help until you’re on your own again? Do you prefer the safety, and comfort and security of your own home; but need some occasional help in order to remain there? If so, then home services and homecare assistant visits could be the answer.

Home services offered by fully trained homecare assistants may include meal preparation; routine housekeeping; laundry; transportation; medication supervision/reminders; personal grooming assistance; and companionship and supervision. Services are tailored to the wants and needs of each individual client; and are available in Henry, Stark and Bureau Counties.

To arrange home services, call the Health Department at 309-852-0492. Or, for more information visit their website at www.henrystarkhealth.com or find them on Facebook at Henry and Stark County Health Departments or follow them on Twitter and Instagram.

Health Department reminds residents of ‘Food Drive Incentive’ for annual lab special in Kewanee and Toulon

The Henry and Stark County Health Departments and their First Choice Healthcare Clinics in Kewanee and Toulon are reminding residents they are extending their popular general health/thyroid panel blood test special in order to raise donations for local food pantries.

Until Jan. 1, the First Choice Healthcare clinics are featuring the general health/thyroid panel blood test for only $40-cash only, with a donation of non-perishable food items. This test includes a full lipid “cholesterol” panel. Please note, fasting is recommended for these tests for optimum results.

Many residents are looking to schedule their health insurance plan’s annual health check-up. This lab special is a great supplement to the yearly check-up. Protecting one’s health is probably the most important thing you can do for yourself and the ones you love.

Appointments for the lab special or for an annual health check-up with one of their providers are offered at all of their locations: Kewanee 309-852-5272, 110 N. Burr Blvd. and Toulon 309-852-3115, 120 E. Court St.

Anyone wanting to donate to their clinics’ food drives may drop off non-perishable food items during regular business hours through the year’s end. These donations will then be taken to local food pantries for those in need.

Health Departments, clinics closed for the Thanksgiving Holiday

The Health Departments and First Choice health clinics in Kewanee, 110 N. Burr Blvd., Colona 103 1st St., and Toulon 120 E. Court St. will be closed Thursday, Nov. 27 and Friday, Nov. 28 in observance of the Thanksgiving Holiday.

However, limited home services staff will be working on those days to provide necessary in-home care.

For more information, call the Health Department or First Choice Healthcare Clinic nearest you: Kewanee 309-852-0197; Colona 309-792-4011; or Toulon 309-852-3115; or visit their website at www.henrystarkhealth.com or find them on Facebook at Henry and Stark County Health Departments or follow them on Twitter and Instagram.

Saluting public health professionals on National Thank You Day

The Henry and Stark County Health Department are joining with leading U.S. public health organizations to recognize public health professionals who are committed to overcoming challenges to protect the health of all Americans on Monday, Nov. 24 as National Public Health Thank You Day 2025.

RaeAnn Tucker, director of Health Promotion with the Health Department said “National Public Health Day honors all those unsung heroes who keep our children safe from infectious disease, promote health care for our veterans and communities, prevent injuries, and increase the rate of immunizations and much more.” These heroes include public health administration and staff, environmental health sanitarians, public health nurses, health education professionals, emergency preparedness officials and maternal/child health and clinic nurses and staff.

“Public Health Thank You Day salutes those who work tirelessly to find solutions to some of our most pressing public health threats,” said Tucker. “It’s important that we not only thank them today, but recognize their contributions daily as they work behind the scenes to combat current and emerging health challenges.”

The Nation’s public health workforce works day in and day out to protect and improve the health of others. Their work affects the lives of Americans in countless ways, from treating and preventing disease outbreaks, to preparing us for natural disasters, to ensuring everyone has access to quality and affordable care.

For more information on the programs and services available through the Henry & Stark County Health Departments call Kewanee 309-852-0197; Colona 309-792-4011; or Toulon 309-852-3115 or visit their website at www.henrystarkhealth.com or find them on Facebook at Henry and Stark County Health Departments.