1. If you're last-minute-stressing over the turkey, CNN says the general calculation is having about 1.5 pounds of turkey per person. And if you're thawing a turkey in the sink, plan on 2 to 3 hours for every 5 pounds of frozen turkey. In other words, for a 20-pound turkey, you'll need 8 to 12 hours. (Full Story)
2. If you're FRYING your turkey, make sure you thaw it first to avoid turning a Butterball into a FIREBALL.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission's no-nonsense frozen turkey PSA from last year is going viral again. They say you should also make sure to fry the turkey outside . . . far away from your home.
3. Food safety experts say some other common turkey mistakes include:
*Allowing turkey juices to leak into your fridge, or onto the counter
*Stuffing the turkey BEFORE you cook it
*Not rotating the turkey
*Not using a meat thermometer.
Also: WASH your hands, but DON'T WASH the turkey. (Full Story)
4. Butterball put out a "Thanksgiving Outlook Report" . . . and they say the average size of celebration this year is expected to be NINE people . . . back to pre-pandemic levels. And 82% of the gatherings will have turkey. (Full Story)
5. In a recent poll, 29% of hosts say they'll ask their guests to bring part of the meal, while 16% will ask them to share the expense . . . like shooting over some cash on Venmo.
A lot of hosts WON'T ask guests to bring anything . . . "just yourselves!" . . . but etiquette experts say you should ignore that, and bring SOMETHING . . . even just a bottle of wine, some craft beer, or some nice cheese and fancy crackers.
That said, if you ARE asked to bring something specific, bring THAT and only THAT. Thanksgiving is not the time to go rogue. (Full Story)
6. Some places that have been open on Thanksgiving in the past will be CLOSED this year, including Walmart and Target.
CVS will be closing all non-24 hour locations early on Thanksgiving, and Walgreens is closing most non-24 hour locations for the first time. Many grocery stores will be open, but with limited hours. (Full Story)
7. Storms have been hitting the U.S., particularly in the Northeast, but the weather for Thanksgiving Day should be mild throughout the country. Stay safe. (Full Story)
8. Also, there is SOME price relief out there. Gas prices are the lowest they've been in years . . . and the average price of a Thanksgiving meal for 10 is $61.17, which is down SLIGHTLY from $64.05 last year. (Full Story)
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