Tulare County		 Facts for Tulare County Consumers (Fall, 1996)

UCCE Tulare County
Home Page
  
Nutrition, Family and
Consumer Sciences Program Page

For more information contact: Cathi Lamp, Nutrition, Family and Consumer Sciences Advisor, cllamp@ucdavis.edu

In this Issue

Set Yourself Up For Success
Automatic Debit Scams
Childhood Immunization Facts
It's Turkey Time
Toll-Free Holiday Help 800 Numbers
Consumer Information Online
Cutting Back on Gift Costs
Recipe for Safer Cooking

Set Yourself Up For Success

Even with the busiest of schedules, you can still eat well if your cupboards and freezer are stocked with healthy, good-tasting foods.

Source: Hints for a Healthy Weight, American Institute for Cancer Research.

Automatic Debit Scams

Automatic debit scams are the latest form of telemarket fraud victimizing consumers. Unauthorized debits are taken directly from checking accounts, leaving consumers unaware of the loss until it is too late. While automatic debiting can be a legitimate payment method, consumers must always be cautious when giving out bank information over the phone.

The scam begins with either a postcard or a phone call saying you have won a free prize, or can qualify for a major credit card. The telemarketer will first ask if you have a checking account. If you say "yes," the telemarketer will explain the offer and ask you to read off all of the numbers at the bottom of your check to "ensure that you qualify for the offer." However, in truth the information will easily allow them to debit your checking account.

To avoid becoming a victim:

Source: Today's Consumer, Vol. 16, No. 1.

Childhood Immunization Facts

Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, January 1996.

It's Turkey Time

Whether it's your first time cooking a holiday meal, or you're a veteran chef, you may have questions about preparing your holiday turkey.

Here are commonly asked questions regarding preparing turkey.


  1. How much turkey do I buy?
    • Frozen or fresh, 9 to 24 pounds - allow 1 to 1-1/2 pounds per person.
    • Stuffed, frozen, 5 to 16 pounds - allow 1-1/2 to 2 pounds per person.
    • Breast, frozen or fresh, 3 to 5 pounds - allow 3/4 pound per person.
    • Boneless, 2-3/4 to 3-1/2 pounds - allow « pound per person.

  2. What's the best way to thaw a turkey?

    Refrigerator thawing is recommended. However, if short on time, submerge the turkey in cold water. Thawing turkey at room temperature allows bacterial growth and is not recommended.

    • Refrigerator thawing:
      • Thaw breast side up in its unopened wrapper on a tray in the refrigerator.
      • Allow at least one day of thawing for every four pounds of turkey.
    • Cold water thawing:
      • Place breast down in its unopened wrapper in cold water to cover.
      • Change the water every 30 minutes to keep surface cold.
      • Estimate minimum thawing time to be 30 minutes per pound for whole turkey.

  3. What's the best way to roast a turkey?

    The Butterball Open Pan Roasting Method will consistently create a juicy, tender, golden brown, picture-perfect turkey.

    • Place thawed or fresh turkey, breast up, on a flat rack in a shallow pan, 2 to 2-1/2 inches deep.
    • Insert oven-safe meat thermometer into the thickest part of the thigh.
    • Brush or rub with oil to prevent drying of the skin and to enhance the golden color.
    • Place in a preheated 325 ° F oven.
    • When the skin is a golden color and the turkey is about two-thirds done, shield the breast loosely with a tent of lightweight foil to prevent overcooking of the breast.
    • Use this roasting schedule as a guideline; start checking for doneness ½ hour before recommended end times:

      Net Weight
      (in pounds)      		Unstuffed
      (in hours)      		Stuffed
      (in hours)
      10 to 183 to 3 ½ 3 ¾ to 4 ½
      18 to 223 ½ to 44 ½ to 5
      22 to 244 to 4 ½5 to 5 ½
      24 to 304 ½ to 55 ½ to 6 ¼


    • Roasting a turkey too long or in too hot an oven will cause the meat to become dry and fall away from the bone.

  4. How do you recommend handling a turkey so it's safe to eat?

    Follow these food safety guidelines.

    • Thaw frozen turkey in the unopened wrapper, in the refrigerator or cold water.
    • Keep thawed or fresh turkey in a refrigerator.
    • Prevent juices from dripping onto other foods in the refrigerator by placing wrapped turkey on a tray.
    • Thawed turkey may be kept in a refrigerator up to four days before cooking.
    • Roast fresh turkey as soon as possible, but no later than the "use by" date on the packaging.
    • Place raw poultry on nonporous surfaces; these are easy to clean. Avoid wooden cutting boards.
    • Use paper towels, not cloth, to dry off turkey and wipe up juices.
    • Stuff turkey just before roasting, not the night before.
    • Wash hands, work surfaces and utensils touched by raw poultry and its juices with hot, soapy water.
    • Use cooking methods that allow the turkey to reach an internal temperature of 140 ° F in less than four hours. Avoid using low roasting temperatures or partial cooking methods.
    • Use a meat thermometer to determine turkey's doneness.
    • Store turkey, stuffing, gravy, broth, and other cooked foods properly within two hours after cooking.

  5. How can leftover turkey be stored safely?
    • Within two hours after roasting, remove stuffing from turkey and carve the meat off the bones, then place in refrigerator or freezer.
    • Refrigerator storage:
      • Wrap turkey slices and stuffing separately and use within three days.
    • Frozen storage:
      • Wrap in heavy foil, freezer wrap or place in freezer container; for optimum taste, use stuffing within one month and turkey within two months.

  6. Where does the meat thermometer go?
    • The tip of any oven-safe meat thermometer should be placed in the thigh muscle just above and beyond the lower part of the thigh bone, but not touching the bone, and pointing towards the body. Turn the thermometer so it can be read while the turkey is in the oven.

  7. How do you know when the turkey is done?
    • Turkey is done when the meat thermometer reaches the following temperatures:
      • 180 ° F to 185 ° F deep in the thigh; also, juices should be clear, not pink, when thigh muscle is pierced deeply.
      • 170 ° F to 175 ° F in the thickest part of the breast, just above the rib bones.
      • 160 ° F to 165 ° F in the center of the stuffing, if turkey is stuffed.
    • Turkey meat will tend to fall apart, shred, or crumble if carved immediately after removing from the oven.
    • Let turkey rest for 15-20 minutes before carving to allow juices to distribute evenly.

  8. What do you need to do to a turkey just before roasting it?
    • Remove original plastic wrapper from thawed or fresh turkey.
    • Remove the neck and giblets from the body and neck cavities.
    • Drain juices and blot turkey dry with paper towels.
    • Stuff the turkey (optional) just before roasting; ingredients may be prepared earlier, but keep moist and dry ingredients separate and combine just before stuffing.
    • Return legs to tucked position, if untucked.
    • Insert oven-safe meat thermometer into the deepest part of the thigh.
    • Brush with oil to prevent drying of the skin.
    • Follow roasting directions.

  9. What's the proper way to stuff a turkey?
    • Stuff the turkey just before roasting, not the night before.
    • Use ½ cup stuffing per pound for turkeys weighing up to 10 pounds; for turkeys more than 10 pounds, use ¾ cup stuffing per pound.
    • Stuff both cavities lightly; stuff the neck cavity first, then turn the wings back to hold neck skin in place or skewer if skin is too short; stuff body cavity, but do not truss or skewer it closed.
    • Place extra stuffing in foil or casserole dish and cook alongside the turkey during the last hour of roasting or until the stuffing's center is 160 ° F to 165 ° F.

  10. Should I buy a fresh or frozen turkey?
    • Selecting a fresh or frozen turkey is your choice.
    • Fresh turkeys need no thawing and are ready to cook.
    • Frozen turkeys can be purchased months in advance, but plan enough thawing time before roasting.
    • The breast meat of frozen Butterball turkeys has been deep-basted for juiciness.

  11. Is it necessary to baste a turkey?
    • No.
    • Basting throughout the roasting process is unnecessary. Pouring juices over a turkey's surface while it roasts will not make the meat juicier. The liquid penetrates only about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch beneath the skin and most of the juice will run off into the pan. Opening the oven door periodically to baste a turkey can cool the oven and possibly lengthen the roasting time.
    • Before roasting, lightly coat the turkey's skin with oil, shortening, or vegetable cooking spray to prevent the skin from drying.

    Source: Butterball Turkey Talk-line (1-800-323-4848).

    Toll-Free Holiday Help 800 Numbers

    Butterball Turkey Talk-Line is a toll-free hotline offering bilingual help to callers who have questions about cooking their holiday turkey. Forty-eight specially trained home economists and nutritionists are available with answers to turkey-related questions from how much to buy to food safety tips.


    Butterball Turkey Talk-line

    November 1 to December 23
    1-800-323-4848 in the United States and Canada
    1-800-TDD03848 Hearing Impaired

    Reynolds Turkey Information Line is a toll-free hotline offering easy defrosting and roasting directions, recorded by one of Reynolds home economists. Callers may choose to hear:

    • The Reynolds Oven Bag Method
    • The Foil Wrapped Heavy Duty Reynolds Wrapr Aluminum Foil Method
    • The Traditional Heavy Duty Reynolds Wrap Foil Tent Method

    Callers may leave their name and address to receive a free Turkey Made Easy recipe brochure.

    Reynolds Turkey Information Line

     November 1 - December 31
    1-800-745-4000
    24 hours a day, 7 days a week

    The Land O'Lakes Holiday Bakeline is helping holiday cooks bake their buttery best.


    Land O'Lakes Holiday Bakeline
    1-800-782-9606
    November 1 to December 24
    8:00 AM to 6 PM (C.S.T.)

    USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline

    1-800-535-4555
    November 1-30, Monday - Friday, 9 to 5, EST
    November 18-19, Saturday - Sunday, 9 to 5, EST
    Thanksgiving Day, November 23, 8 to 2 EST
    Year-round, Monday - Friday, 10 to 4, EST

    Consumer Information Online

    The Consumer Information Center in Pueblo, Colorado has a catalog of free and low cost publications on a variety of topics of interest to consumers. All of the publications are now available online, along with other consumer news, updates and information. To access the publications by computer, use your modem (202-208-7679) or Internet connection (Internet World Wide Web address: http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov). For detailed instructions on connecting to the Consumer Information Center, email them at cic.infor@pueblo.gsa.gov with the words "SEND INFO" in the body of the message.

    What will you find? Information is available on: cars, children, employment, environment, federal programs, food and nutrition, health, housing, money, small business, and travel and hobbies. To receive a free catalog, write to Consumer Information Catalog, Pueblo, Colorado 81009.

    Source: Consumer Information Center

    Cutting Back on Gift Costs

    You may be asking yourself how you can keep the holidays festive without going into debt. More and more individuals, whether inspired by economic conditions or simply a desire to avoid some of the commercialism which has enveloped the season, are finding that it is possible. Start by making a list of everyone you plan to give a gift to. Then, look at your budget and decide how much you can afford to spend on holiday gifts. Divide this amount by the number of people on your list. Of course, you will probably want to spend more money on some individuals than on others; that's fine, just be sure to make adjustments in the amount you spend on other gifts. The important thing is that you figure out a way to stay within your spending limit. Spending the next twelve months trying to pay off your credit card bills from holiday shopping will not leave you in a very festive mood.

    Staying within your spending limit may take some planning. Here are a few ideas which might help:

    Instead of buying individual gifts for family, friends, or co-workers consider buying group gifts such as a basket full of munchies, a game, or a videotape. Select something that everyone can enjoy together.

    Draw names for gift exchange. If there are a lot of children in the family, involve them in the gift exchange too. Kids can have a lot of fun selecting a gift and trying to keep their secret person's name a mystery. Children are frequently happy, but overwhelmed by the number of gifts they receive. This is one way to slow things down and to help children learn the meaning of the holidays and get more enjoyment out of the gifts they do receive.

    Offer service coupons instead of material gifts. For example, you could give a coupon offering to baby sit, mow the lawn, walk the dog, provide personal taxi service, clean the house, cook a meal or program the VCR. The list of service gifts is really endless and can be personalized to the people on your shopping list. The coupons can be decorative or plain depending on how creative you want to be. Most children would enjoy helping to decorate the coupons. This really adds a personal touch, especially for grandparents and other family members.

    Consider making gifts at home rather than buying them. Homemade gifts are especially appreciated since the gift giver has taken the time and effort to create the gift. Do you have a special talent such as needlework, woodwork, painting, baking, sewing, or other craft?

    Instead of shopping at big retail stores, consider shopping at swap meets, church or club bazaars, or neighborhood boutiques. If you don't have the time or talent to make your own gifts, you can frequently find homemade gifts at good prices from one of these sources.

    When shopping for an item be sure to look for sales. The newspapers are flooded with ads. Scan the ads and do some comparison shopping by phone before you buy.

    Instead of exchanging gifts, why not just get together with those you love and enjoy each other's company.

    Remember, you don't have to spend money to express your love!

    Source: Today's Consumer, Fall 1992

    Recipe for Safer Cooking

    Follow these tips to protect you and your family when in the kitchen. Whether stirring up a quick dinner or creating a masterpiece four-course meal, here's a recipe for safer cooking you need to use daily.

    To Prevent a Cooking Fire in Your Kitchen

    • Keep an eye on your cooking and stay in the kitchen.
    • Wear short or close-fitting sleeves
    • Watch children closely. Teach children to cook safely.
    • Clean cooking surfaces to prevent food and grease build-up.
    • Keep curtains, towels and pot holders clear of flames and hot surfaces, and store gasoline, solvents and some cleaners away from heat source.
    • Turn pan handles inward to prevent food spills.

    To Put Out A Cooking Fire in Your Kitchen

    • Smother a grease or oil fire by sliding a pan lid over flames to suffocate the flames, and turn off the heat. Never carry the pan outside.
    • Extinguish other food fires with baking soda. Never use water on cooking fires.
    • Keep the oven door shut and turn off the heat to smother an oven or broiler.
    • Use a fire extinguisher. Check with your local fire department to make sure you have the right one in your kitchen.
    • Call the fire department if the fire doesn't go out immediately. In many cases, dialing 911 will give you Emergency Services.
    • Always have a working smoke detector near your kitchen.

    Source: Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, 20 North Wacker Drive, Ste. 1500, Chicago, IL 60606

    Go to Top
    		  
    UCCE Tulare County
    Home Page
    		  
    Nutrition, Family and
    Consumer Sciences Program Page

    University of California Cooperative Extension - Tulare County
    Send comments to:    UCCE Tulare County Webmaster
    Revised: