Consumer columnist and West Hartford resident Harlan Levy has more than 20 years of experience writing stories about everyday experiences that anyone could encounter.

By Harlan Levy

Am I the only man who does not buy the Thanksgiving turkey, who doesn’t roast the turkey, and who doesn’t carve the turkey? (I clean up and wash the pots and put the dishes and silverware in the dishwasher.)

What I also don’t do is decide whether to buy a fresh or a frozen turkey. So I did some research on this weighty matter as well as several related items. Here’s what I learned from online sources and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service:

Myth: Fresh turkey is always better than frozen.

Fact: Both are fine. But only buy a frozen turkey if you’re buying weeks in advance, so you can give it a few days to thaw properly. Buy a fresh turkey only if you’re doing it one to two days before roasting.

Myth: Thawing your turkey on the counter is OK.

Fact: It’s not OK. It’s not safe, because harmful bacteria multiply fast at room temperature. Safe alternatives:

• Thaw in your refrigerator. That’s the safest way, but it takes longer.
• Or thaw it in cold water, the fastest method. But when thawed you need to cook it immediately.

Myth: Thawing takes only a few hours.

Fact: Your frozen turkey can thaw safely in several days. In the fridge, give it 24 hours for every four to five pounds. A 16-pounder takes about four days.

For cold-water thawing, keep your bird in the original wrapper or a leakproof bag, submerge in cold water, and change the water every 30 minutes. Allow about 30 minutes per pound. Cook the turkey immediately after thawing. A 16-pound bird would take about 8 hours.

Preparing vegetables and other produce

The nonprofit excellent advice-giving Environmental Working Group (EWG) has the following tips:

• Washing produce: Wash all produce under running water to help remove pesticide residues. Do it just before you eat it to prevent bacterial growth.

Gently rub firm produce with your hands under running water. For potatoes or carrots, use a clean vegetable brush.

Cut off any bruised, damaged, or inedible parts.

For leafy greens, broccoli, or cauliflower, soak in a bowl of water for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing.

• Storing produce: Store uncut vegetables separately from cut vegetables. Uncut vegetables will last the longest. Store cut produce in glass or ceramic containers. Avoid storing food in plastic, which can leach microplastics and toxic chemicals, potentially including toxic “forever chemicals” – PFAS, which can disrupt the hormone system, and other chemicals in plastic, including bisphenol A, certain heavy metals and phthalates, often used as a “plasticizer” in consumer goods.

Instead of plastic storage containers and utensils use glass, ceramic, and stainless steel containers.

• Cutting board: Routine use of knives on a plastic cutting board causes tiny shavings of plastic to be released into the air which can contaminate your food.

Instead, use cutting boards made of wood (just wash it thoroughly by hand after using it for raw meat or fish), bamboo, glass, or titanium.

Cookware and utensils 

Cookware: Cookware described as “nonstick” likely contains one or more chemicals from the PFAS family or a harmful next-generation chemical. Use stainless steel, ceramic, or glass cookware.

That’s a lot, but now you know. Happy Thanksgiving.

NOTE: If you have a consumer problem, contact me at [email protected] (“Consumer” in subject line), and, with the power of the press, maybe I can help.

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